Abstract:

Methods and systems for facilitating exchange of rights associated with
environmentally relevant items are provided. The methods and systems may
include identifying a type of environmentally relevant item recognized by
a market associated with an environmentally relevant action and providing
a user interface whereby a user may search for environmentally relevant
items.

Claims:

1. A method for facilitating exchange of rights associated with
environmentally relevant items, comprisingidentifying a type of
environmentally relevant item recognized by a market associated with an
environmentally relevant action; andproviding a user interface whereby a
user may search for environmentally relevant actions that qualify for the
environmentally relevant item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a user may search across more than one
jurisdiction for potentially relevant actions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a user may search across more than one
jurisdiction for potentially relevant environmentally relevant items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a user may search across more than one
type of environmentally relevant action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user may search across more than one
type of environmentally relevant item.

6-9. (canceled)

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface contains a dashboard
that displays information relating to at least one environmentally
relevant item.

11-12. (canceled)

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface facilitates
presentation of alternative options for obtaining environmentally
relevant items in different jurisdictions.

14-19. (canceled)

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an analytic engine.

38. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a rating engine.

39-41. (canceled)

42. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a reporting engine.

43-44. (canceled)

45. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a trading engine.

46-48. (canceled)

49. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmentally relevant item is
associated with a market data facility.

50. (canceled)

51. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmentally relevant item is
associated with a content provision facility.

52. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmentally relevant item is
associated with a environmentally relevant item serialization facility.

53-61. (canceled)

62. A method for facilitating exchange of rights associated with
environmentally relevant items, comprisingproviding a user interface
whereby a user may search for a range of environmentally relevant actions
for which one or more jurisdictions may offer an environmentally relevant
item;providing a search facility configured to search for eligible
environmentally relevant actions;presenting a search result with at least
one eligible environmentally relevant action, the search result setting
forth at least one attribute for an environmentally relevant actions;
andallowing a user to select an environmentally relevant action from the
search results for a user action.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein a user may search across more than one
jurisdiction for potentially relevant actions.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein a user may search across more than one
jurisdiction for potentially relevant environmentally relevant items.

65. The method of claim 62, wherein a user may search across more than one
type of environmentally relevant action.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein a user may search across more than one
type of environmentally relevant item.

67-70. (canceled)

71. The method of claim 62, wherein the user interface contains a
dashboard that display information relating to at least one
environmentally relevant item.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein the depository includes
environmentally relevant items of different types.

89. The method of claim 87, wherein the depository includes
environmentally relevant items relating to different jurisdictions.

90. The method of claim 62, wherein the environmentally relevant item is
entered in a registry.

91-102. (canceled)

103. The method of claim 62 further comprising providing a reporting
engine.

104-122. (canceled)

123. A system for facilitating exchange of rights associated with
environmentally relevant items, comprisinga user interface for
identifying a type of environmentally relevant item recognized by a
market associated with an environmentally relevant action; andin the user
interface, a search facility whereby a user may search for
environmentally relevant actions that qualify for as an environmentally
relevant item.

124. The system of claim 123, wherein a user may search across more than
one jurisdiction for potentially relevant actions.

125. The system of claim 123, wherein a user may search across more than
one jurisdiction for potentially relevant environmentally relevant items.

126. The system of claim 123, wherein a user may search across more than
one type of environmentally relevant action.

127. The system of claim 123, wherein a user may search across more than
one type of environmentally relevant item.

128-183. (canceled)

184. A system for facilitating exchange of rights associated with
environmentally relevant items, comprisinga user interface whereby a user
may search for a range of environmentally relevant actions for which one
or more jurisdictions may offer an environmentally relevant item;a search
facility configured to search for eligible environmentally relevant
actions for generating a search result with at least one eligible
environmentally relevant action, the search result setting forth at least
one attribute for an environmentally relevant actions; anda module for
allowing a user to select an environmentally relevant action from the
search results for a user action.

185. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search across more than
one jurisdiction for potentially relevant actions.

186. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search across more than
one jurisdiction for potentially relevant environmentally relevant items.

187. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search across more than
one type of environmentally relevant action.

188. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search across more than
one type of environmentally relevant item.

189. The system of claim 184 wherein a user may search for actions
eligible for a carbon credit.

190. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search for actions
eligible for a pollution reduction credit.

191. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search for actions
eligible for an energy efficiency credit.

192. The system of claim 184, wherein a user may search for actions
eligible for a renewable energy credit.

193-244. (canceled)

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims the benefit of the following provisional
application, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety:
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/909,736, filed Apr. 3, 2007.

BACKGROUND

[0002]1. Field

[0003]The invention relates to the field of environmentally relevant
items, and more specifically to a platform for transacting
environmentally relevant items, including creating, buying, selling,
trading, tracking, clearing and/or retiring environmentally relevant
items.

[0004]2. Description of the Related Art

[0005]With renewed focus being placed on environmental issues,
environmentally relevant items are receiving increased attention. Various
types of environmentally relevant items, such as renewable energy
credits, energy efficiency certificates and carbon certificates,
including carbon offset credits and emission allowances and emission
reduction credits, have been created in various jurisdictions around the
world. However, a need exists for systems and methods to systematically
create, track, auction, buy, sell, trade, convert, retire, analyze and
manage the various environmentally relevant items that exist around the
world.

SUMMARY

[0006]The methods and/or systems disclosed herein may include a platform
(the "platform") for transacting environmentally relevant items as
described in more detail herein. Transactions may include creating,
tracking, auctioning, buying, selling, trading, tracking, clearing,
retiring and the like of one or more environmentally relevant items as
described herein. In an embodiment, the platform may be a renewable
energy tracking system, generation information systems or environmental
registry or market depository. In an embodiment, the platform may be a
greenhouse gas registry or an emissions and allowance tracking system. In
an embodiment, the platform may create a technology infrastructure for a
unified environmentally relevant item market for trading transferable,
valuable environmentally relevant items. In an embodiment, the platform
may comprise one platform for multiple environmentally relevant items. In
an embodiment, the platform may comprise one platform for multiple
jurisdictions, including localities, states, sub-regions, regions,
countries and international jurisdictions

[0008]The platform may be used by generators, offset providers,
manufacturers, load serving entities, regulators, traders, brokers,
clearinghouses, verifiers, corporations and the like. The platform may be
used for industrial markets, voluntary markets, mandatory markets,
cross-environmentally relevant item markets, cross-jurisdiction markets
and the like. The platform may be deployed in a web-based manner and/or
though a service oriented architecture. The platform may be hosted. The
platform may interface with various data sources such as meters at
production facilities, existing databases, market data providers, other
platforms and the like. The data may be measured data, historical data,
calculated data and the like.

[0009]The present invention may provide methods and systems for
facilitating exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant
items. The methods and systems may include identifying a type of
environmentally relevant item recognized by a market associated with an
environmentally relevant action and providing a user interface whereby a
user may search for environmentally relevant actions that quality for the
environmentally relevant item.

[0010]In embodiments, a user may search across more than one jurisdiction
for potentially relevant actions, more than one jurisdiction for
potentially relevant environmentally relevant items, more than one type
of environmentally relevant action, more than one type of environmentally
relevant item and the like.

[0011]In embodiments, a user may search for actions eligible for a carbon
credit, a pollution reduction credit, an energy efficiency credit, a
renewable energy credit and the like. In embodiments, the user interface
may contain a dashboard that displays information relating to at least
one environmentally relevant item and the like. In embodiments, the user
interface may facilitate applying an environmentally relevant item to
offset an activity, tracking the application of environmentally relevant
items relating to an activity, presentation of alternative options for
obtaining environmentally relevant items in different jurisdictions and
the like.

[0012]In embodiments, the user interface may be a dashboard allowing for
tracking the impact of various environmentally relevant actions. In
embodiments, the user interface may be a subcomponent of a software
platform for managing environmentally relevant items. The platform may be
for a voluntary market, a mandatory market, may be web-based, may be
hosted and the like. In embodiments, the methods and systems may include
providing an analytic engine. The analytic engine may perform analysis
and calculations, generate advice and recommendations and the like. In
embodiments, the methods and systems may provide a market oversight
facility, a credit and clearing engine, a timing manager and the like.

[0013]In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may reside in a
depository. The depository may include environmentally relevant items of
different types, environmentally relevant items relating to different
jurisdictions and the like. In embodiments, the environmentally relevant
item may be entered in a registry. The registry may be a national
registry, web-based, a web-based carbon registry and the like. In
embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may be associated with a
voluntary market.

[0014]In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may be purchased
for public relations purposes. In embodiments, the methods and systems
may provide a jurisdictional complexity manager, a cross-environmentally
relevant item complexity manager, an allocation engine, a rating engine,
a compliance facility, a verification engine, a retirement facility, a
reporting engine, a forensic reporting engine, an auction facility, a
trading engine, a workflow manager and the like.

[0015]In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may be associated
with a buying network. In embodiments, the methods and systems may
provide a performance assessment facility. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant item may be associated with a billing engine, a
content provision facility, an environmentally relevant item
serialization facility and the like. In embodiments, the user interface
may present data relating to the environmentally relevant item. The data
may be compressed, meter-level data and the like. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant item may be defined by a protocol.

[0016]In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may relate to a
carbon credit, an energy efficiency credit, pollution reduction credit, a
renewable energy credit and the like. In embodiments, the environmentally
relevant item may be a credit. In embodiments, the present invention may
provide methods and systems for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items. The methods and systems
may provide a user interface whereby a user may search for a range of
environmentally relevant actions for which one or more jurisdictions may
offer an environmentally relevant item, providing a search facility
configured to search for eligible environmentally relevant actions,
presenting a search result with at least one eligible environmentally
relevant action, the search result setting forth at least one attribute
for an environmentally relevant actions and allowing a user to select an
environmentally relevant action from the search results for a user
action.

[0017]In embodiments, a user may search across more than one jurisdiction
for potentially relevant actions, more than one jurisdiction for
potentially relevant environmentally relevant items, more than one type
of environmentally relevant action, more than one type of environmentally
relevant item and the like. In embodiments, a user may search for actions
eligible for a carbon credit, a pollution reduction credit, an energy
efficiency credit, a renewable energy credit and the like. In
embodiments, the user interface may contain a dashboard that may display
information relating to at least one environmentally relevant item and
the like. In embodiments, the user interface may facilitate applying an
environmentally relevant item to offset an activity, tracking the
application of environmentally relevant items relating to an activity,
presentation of alternative options for obtaining environmentally
relevant items in different jurisdictions and the like.

[0018]In embodiments, the user interface may be a dashboard allowing for
tracking the impact of various environmentally relevant actions. In
embodiments, the user interface may be a subcomponent of a software
platform for managing environmentally relevant items. The platform may be
for a voluntary market, a mandatory market, may be web-based, may be
hosted and the like. In embodiments, the methods and systems may include
providing an analytic engine. The analytic engine may perform analysis
and calculations, generate advice and recommendations and the like. In
embodiments, the methods and systems may provide a market oversight
facility, a credit and clearing engine, a timing manager and the like. In
embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may reside in a
depository. The depository may include environmentally relevant items of
different types, environmentally relevant items relating to different
jurisdictions and the like.

[0019]In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may be entered in
a registry. The registry may be a national registry, web-based, a
web-based carbon registry and the like. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant item may be associated with a voluntary market.
In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may be purchased for
public relations purposes. In embodiments, the methods and systems may
provide a jurisdictional complexity manager, a cross-environmentally
relevant item complexity manager, an allocation engine, a rating engine,
a compliance facility, a verification engine, a retirement facility, a
reporting engine, a forensic reporting engine, an auction facility, a
trading engine, a workflow manager and the like.

[0020]In embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may be associated
with a buying network. In embodiments, the methods and systems may
provide a performance assessment facility. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant item may be associated with a billing engine, a
content provision facility, an environmentally relevant item
serialization facility and the like. In embodiments, the user interface
may present data relating to the environmentally relevant item. The data
may be compressed, meter-level data and the like. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant item may be defined by a protocol. In
embodiments, the environmentally relevant item may relate to a carbon
credit, an energy efficiency credit, pollution reduction credit, a
renewable energy credit and the like. In an embodiment, the
environmentally relevant item may be a credit.

[0021]These and other systems, methods, objects, features, and advantages
of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art
from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and
the drawings. All documents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated in
their entirety by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0022]The invention and the following detailed description of certain
embodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the following
figures:

[0023]FIG. 1 depicts a platform for environmentally relevant items;

[0024]FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary dashboard in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 3 depicts an enterprise dashboard in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;

[0026]FIG. 4 depicts a process for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items involving a user interface
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 5 depicts a process for providing a dashboard to a user for
managing activities in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention;

[0028]FIG. 6 depicts a process for providing a dashboard to a user for
managing activities in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention;

[0029]FIG. 7 depicts a process for providing a user interface for
searching environmentally related actions in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention;

[0030]FIG. 8 depicts a market oversight facility for facilitating
oversight of plurality of markets in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;

[0031]FIG. 9 depicts a process for overseeing certain environmental
activities in markets in a platform in accordance with another embodiment
of the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 10 depicts a process for overseeing certain environmental
activities in markets in a platform in accordance with another embodiment
of the present invention;

[0033]FIG. 11 depicts a comparison of an environmentally relevant item
with another environmentally relevant item or a financial instrument in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034]FIG. 12 depicts a process for establishing a rate of exchange in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0035]FIG. 13 depicts a process for establishing a rate of exchange in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0036]FIG. 14 depicts a process for establishing a rate of exchange
between jurisdictions in accordance with another embodiment of the
present invention;

[0037]FIG. 15 depicts a process for providing an environmental derivative
instrument in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention;

[0038]FIG. 16 depicts a jurisdictional complexity manager in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039]FIG. 17 depicts a process for providing a cross-environmentally
relevant item complexity manager module in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention;

[0040]FIG. 18 depicts a cross-environmentally relevant item complexity
manager in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041]FIG. 19 depicts a process for providing a cross-environmentally
relevant item complexity manager module in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention;

[0042]FIG. 20 depicts a process for providing a cross-environmentally
relevant item complexity manager module for managing relevant actions in
accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0043]FIG. 21 depicts an import/export manager in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;

[0044]FIG. 22 depicts a process for providing unified depository for
credits in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0045]FIG. 23a depicts forward transactions between a platform and
environmentally relevant items in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;

[0046]FIG. 23b depicts a process for purchase and/or sale of
environmentally relevant items in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;

[0047]FIG. 24 depicts a process for facilitating placement of standing
orders in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0048]FIG. 25 depicts a rating engine for rating of environmentally
relevant items in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049]FIG. 26 depicts a process for providing a user interface to a user
in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0050]FIG. 27 depicts a process for facilitating retirement of
environmentally relevant items in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;

[0051]FIG. 28 depicts an allocation process performed by an allocation
engine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052]FIG. 29 depicts a process for providing an allocation engine in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0053]FIG. 30 depicts a process for providing an allocation engine in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0054]FIG. 31 depicts a search engine depicting various views in a
platform in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055]FIG. 32 depicts a user interface for viewing a portfolio in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056]FIG. 33 depicts a user interface for viewing a portfolio in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0057]FIG. 34 depicts a user interface for viewing transactions in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058]FIG. 35 depicts a user interface for viewing transactions in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0059]FIG. 36 depicts a user interface for viewing transfers in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060]FIG. 1 depicts an environmentally relevant item platform 104 for
environmentally relevant items. The platform 104 may support or be
associated with one or more environmentally relevant items. An
environmentally relevant item, as used herein, should be understood,
except where context calls for a more specific meaning, to encompass any
of a wide range of items one or more attributes of which has relevance to
the environment, such as environmentally relevant securities, financial
instruments, contracts, commodities, credits, debits, debts, obligations,
goods, services, actions, or the like, including, without limitation of
the foregoing, items relevant to energy production or consumption,
renewable energy consumption or production, carbon consumption or
reduction or production, greenhouse gas emissions or emissions permits,
emission allowances, pollution production, disposal or modification,
water usage or preservation, emission reduction, chlorofluorocarbon
production, usage, or destruction, and many others.

[0062]An environmentally relevant item 202 may be a renewable energy
certificate or credit (REC), also known as a green tag or tradable
renewable certificate (TRC). Typically one green tag corresponds to 1000
kWh of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Instead of
functioning as a tax on pollution creating electricity generators, green
tags function as a non-governmental subsidy on pollution-free electricity
generators. An environmentally relevant item 202 may be or represent the
avoided emissions related to a REC. An environmentally relevant item 202
may be an energy efficiency certificate (EEC), also known as a white tag.
Typically an EEC is a document certifying that a certain reduction of
energy consumption has been attained. EECs are often combined with an
obligation to achieve a certain target of energy savings. An
environmentally relevant item 202 may be or represent the avoided
emissions related to an EEC. An environmentally relevant item 202 may be
a carbon certificate (CC). Typically a CC provides the owner with the
right to emit one ton of carbon dioxide.

[0063]An environmentally relevant item 202 may be a credit. The term
credit as used herein and in the figures is understood to be any one of a
number of environmentally relevant items 202. An environmentally relevant
item 202 may also be a carbon emission reduction credit, a carbon offset,
such as a verified emissions reduction (VER), carbon emission reduction
(CER), an emission reduction unit (ERU) or a voluntary carbon unit (VCU),
an emissions allowance, an energy conservation certificate, a carbon
avoidance certificate, a residential emission reduction credit, a
tradable residential emission reduction credit, a residential renewable
energy certificate, a tradable residential renewable energy certificate,
a carbon credit or offset or emission allocation, a renewables obligation
certificate, a water credit, a water permit, a mercury allowance or
permit, or a credit relating to other markets 112, and the like. An
environmentally relevant item 202 may be any type of credit, certificate
or allocation relating to one or more of any form of pollution, pollution
reduction, environmental measure or benefit and the like. The
environmentally relevant item may be any substance that the consumption
or production of which is environmentally sensitive, and for which
cap-and-trade or other market-based mechanisms may be used to curtail
consumption or production. The systems and methods described herein may
support such processes. An environmentally relevant item 202 may be a
digital certificate. An environmentally relevant item 202 may be used to
satisfy or may represent an obligation. An environmentally relevant item
202 may be a derivative. An environmentally relevant item 202 may be a
meta-level environmentally relevant item 202. A meta-level
environmentally relevant item 202 may be a combination of environmentally
relevant items 202. A meta-level environmentally relevant item 202 may be
a combination of one or more environmentally relevant items 202 with one
or more financial instruments, including, without limitation, securities
and commodities. A meta-level environmentally relevant item 202 may be a
derivative measure, such as carbon avoided by use of a REC. A meta-level
environmentally relevant item 202 may be an offset.

[0064]An environmentally relevant item 202 may be characterized by various
attributes and/or parameters. The attributes may be managed as tags. The
platform 104 may receive, generate, process, store and provide data
relating to one or more attributes of one or more environmentally
relevant items 202. One attribute of an environmentally relevant item 202
may be a serial number which may be unique. Another attribute of an
environmentally relevant item 202 may be the applicable laws, regulatory
regimes and the like. An attribute of an environmentally relevant item
202 may be the restrictions on transfer placed upon it. An attribute of
an environmentally relevant item 202 may be a list of environmentally
relevant items 202 for which it may be traded. This list may be
accompanied by the relevant exchange rates which may change with market
conditions. An attribute of an environmentally relevant item 202 may
relate to geographic or jurisdictional information. In an embodiment, the
geographic or jurisdictional information may be the site, locality,
state, sub-region, region and/or country of generation, consumption
and/or retirement of an environmentally relevant item 202. An attribute
of an environmentally relevant item 202 may relate to the quality of the
environmentally relevant item 202, such as the quality assessed by the
rating engine.

[0065]An attribute of an environmentally relevant item 202 may relate to
date and time information concerning the environmentally relevant item
202. The date and time information may be the date/time of generation or
a category of time such as on-peak or off-peak. The date and time
information may be the date/time of sale, date/time of consumption,
date/time of time to retirement, date/time of expiration, time to
settlement, time to expiration, dates of applicable regulatory periods
and the like. An attribute of an environmentally relevant item 202 may
relate to information concerning the source and ownership history of the
environmentally relevant item 202. Information concerning the source and
ownership history of an environmentally relevant item 202 may include the
party who generated the environmentally relevant item 202, the party who
owns the environmentally relevant item 202 and the like. Information
concerning the source of an environmentally relevant item 202 may include
by what process the environmentally relevant item 202, representing an
environmental benefit, was created. In an embodiment, source information
may include the type of renewable energy power generation used, such as
solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and the like). In another embodiment,
source information may include the type of carbon offset created, such as
methane reduction via a process improvement, carbon sequestration via
reforestation and the like. In another embodiment, source information may
include information regarding the allocation or auction mechanism and
jurisdictional information by which an emission allowance or allocation
was created by a jurisdiction or government agency.

[0066]An attribute of an environmentally relevant item 202 may relate to
information concerning the transaction history of an environmentally
relevant item 202. Information concerning the transaction history of an
environmentally relevant item 202 may include an ownership trail for the
environmentally relevant item 202, a list of all the previous
transactions involving the environmentally relevant item 202, historical
pricing and the like. An attribute of an environmentally relevant item
202 may relate to exchange rates associated with the environmentally
relevant item 202 or with one or more attributes of the environmentally
relevant item 202. The exchange rate may relate to location and
jurisdiction information, population density, on-peak or off-peak timing
and/or any of the other factors discussed herein.

[0067]An attribute of an environmentally relevant item 202 may be the
value or price of the environmentally relevant item 202. An attribute of
an environmentally relevant item 202 may relate to ratings information or
parameters relating to trust associated with the environmentally relevant
item 202. This information may relate to whether the environmentally
relevant item 202 is from a trusted source, the likelihood of green
washing or double counting and the like. An attribute of an
environmentally relevant item 202 may relate to metadata surrounding
verification of the environmentally relevant item 202. This metadata may
include information concerning who performed the verification, how the
verification was performed, the protocol was used for verification and
the like. This metadata may also include copies of any related
documentation, photographs, attestations and the like. The trust related
attributes may allow for the creation of a trusted environmentally
relevant item 202.

[0068]Environmentally relevant items 202 may be transacted. Transactions
may include auctioning, buying, selling, trading, creating and retiring
environmentally relevant items 202. Transactions may include moving an
environmentally relevant item 202 to and/or between sub-accounts within
an account or to and/or between subsets of a platform. A transaction may
be brokered or direct. A transaction may be conducted on an exchange or
using other means of credit management and clearing.

[0069]In an embodiment a transaction may be a brokered transaction for
RECs. The RECs may be produced by a generator, consumed by a LSE and
traded between generation and use. The RECs may be bought and sold by a
broker. The generator may forward sell the RECs. Both parties may have
standing orders to buy and sell RECs at certain prices. The transaction
may also be a forward transfer involving reconciliation. The transaction
may also involve the import and/or export of RECs or an exchange of RECs.
The transaction may be cross-jurisdictional, where the jurisdiction may
be a locality, state, sub-region, region or nation with distinct
regulatory and compliance authorities.

[0070]In another embodiment, a transaction may be a brokered transaction
for carbon offsets (credits) or emissions allocations. In the case of
offsets or credits, they may be produced by the project owners. The
transaction may involve forward sales of future credits. The transaction
may involve imports and exports of credits. The transaction may involve
emissions allocations purchased in an auction process. The transaction
may involve standing orders to buy and sell. The transaction may be a
forward transfer involving reconciliation. The transaction may be a
direct exchange. The transaction may be cross-jurisdictional, where the
jurisdiction may be a locality, state, sub-region, region or nation with
distinct regulatory and compliance authorities.

[0071]In yet another embodiment, the transaction may be a brokered
transaction for EECs, which may be produced by a corporation. The
transaction may involve forward sales; for example, a generator may
forward sell EECs. The transaction may involve imports and exports of
EECs. The transaction may involve standing orders to buy and sell EECs.
The transaction may be a forward transfers involving reconciliation. The
transaction may be a direct exchange. The transaction may be
cross-jurisdictional, where the jurisdiction may be a locality, state,
sub-region, region or nation with distinct regulatory and compliance
authorities.

[0072]In an embodiment, a transaction may involve a green tag (also known
as a REC). An environmentally friendly energy producer, such as a wind
farm, may produce 1000 kWh of electricity and be credited with one green
tag. The electricity produced may then be fed into the power grid and the
energy producer may then sell the green tag on the market using the
platform. A retailer may purchase the green tag, along with additional
green tags, so that it can claim for marketing purposes that its energy
use is carbon neutral and does not contribute to global warming.

[0073]In another embodiment, a transaction may involve a white tag (also
known as an EEC). A producer, supplier or distributor of natural gas, or
another energy commodity, may undertake efficiency measures, such as by
increasing efficiency by a certain percentage of its annual energy
delivery amount. In exchange, the producer, supplier or distributor may
earn a white certificate which may be used for its own compliance needs
or which may be sold or traded using the platform.

[0074]In yet another embodiment, a transaction may involve a carbon
credit. A factory may be permitted to emit 50,000 tons of greenhouse
gases in a year. The factory may only emit 45,000 tons annually and
through various pollution abatement measures, such as changes in the
manufacturing process, the factory may have further reduced its annual
emissions to 40,000 tons of greenhouse gases. As a result, the factory
may have an excess of 10,000 carbon credits or emission allocations which
it can sell, trade, save and/or retire. The factory may decide to sell
5,000 carbon credits, emissions allowances or allocations on the market
using the platform. The factory may also decide to retire 2,500 carbon
credits using the platform 104 for public relations and marketing
reasons. The factory may decide to save 2,500 carbon credits in case its
emission quota is reduced by more than expected for the next year. The
factory decides to do this even though a certain amount of the 2,500
carbon credits it saves may expire or be proportionately reduced.

[0075]An environmentally relevant item 202 may relate to one or more of
many different environmental aspects 102. Environmental aspects 102 may
include carbon or carbon equivalent emissions, carbon emissions
avoidance, reduction or offset, carbon emissions allowances, renewable
energy, which may be characterized by a locality component, a time of day
component or other metadata, energy efficiency, water quality,
phosphorous, selenium, wind, air quality, contaminants, pollutants,
deforestation, including both old growth and replanting, mercury, acid
rain, hydrofluorocarbons, perflourocarbons, solar energy, hydrogen,
deep-water cooling, natural gas, coal or petroleum equivalence,
greenhouse gases and emissions, including carbon dioxide, methane,
nitrous oxide, CFC-12, HCFC-12, tetraflouromethane, sulfur hexafluoride
and the like, sulfur dioxide, other volatile organic compounds and the
like.

[0076]FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary dashboard 200 in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. In embodiments, the platform 104 may
include the dashboard 200. The dashboard 200 may combine the display of
characteristics 204, attributes 208, quantities 210, values 212, other
items 214, and the like of one or more environmentally relevant items 202
in a single user interface. In embodiments, there may be plurality of
environmentally relevant items 202. In embodiments, the dashboard 200 may
be a multi-environmentally relevant item 202, multi-jurisdiction
environmental dashboard. In an embodiment, the dashboard 200 may combine
the display of RECs 218, EECs 220, and CCs 222, or any other credits 224
or environmentally relevant items 202 (including credits, offsets,
allowances, allocations and the like) or other 228 environmentally
relevant items 202, displaying them as a portfolio 230 of managed
environmentally relevant items 202. The platform 104 may show the status
232 of a particular environmentally relevant item 202 or a group of
environmentally relevant items 202 by area 234, obligation type 238,
position 240, other 242 (such as long or short), and the like. The
platform 104 may show the activity 244 of a particular environmentally
relevant item 202 or a group of environmentally relevant items 202 such
as by listing environmentally relevant items 202 being watched 248,
listing active transactions 250, inactive transactions and/or brokered
transactions 252, providing past history 254, other activity or
information 258, and the like. The dashboard 200 may show views based on
different environmentally relevant items 202. The dashboard 200 may allow
for the application of filters 274 and multiple filters at the same time.
The dashboard 200 may present various views of the overall portfolio 230
of environmentally relevant items 202 or specific aspects of the
portfolio 230 of other environmentally relevant items 202. The dashboard
200 may enable a user to make decisions 278 regarding transactions 282
involving environmentally relevant items 202. The dashboard 200 may allow
a user to determine how to optimize 280 and/or maximize the value of a
portfolio of environmentally relevant items 202. The dashboard 200 may
present raw data 284. The dashboard 200 may present graphics or figures
260. The dashboard 200 may present line graphs 262, bar graphs 264, pie
charts 268, other graphics or figures 270, and the like. The dashboard
may present information or views relating to or associated with one or
more jurisdictions 272. The dashboard may present other information 288.

[0077]The dashboard may present different views of a particular
environmentally relevant item 202 or a group of environmentally relevant
items 202, such as an asset-based view, attribute-based view, including a
jurisdictional view, obligation-based view, credit-based view,
transaction-based view, import/export-based view, gap analysis view,
time-based view and the like. One or more of the various views may be
presented simultaneously. The dashboard 200 or various aspects of the
dashboard 200 may be varied by specific user of the dashboard 200. The
dashboard 200 may be customized to specific user's preferences. The
dashboard 200 or various aspects of the dashboard 200 may be varied by
the category of the user of the dashboard 200. As a result the following
different dashboards may exist: an enterprise dashboard, governmental
entity dashboard, market maker dashboard, broker dashboard, host
dashboard, administrator dashboard, generator dashboard, LSE dashboard,
regulator dashboard, corporate level cross-jurisdictional dashboard,
geographic dashboard, and the like. In an embodiment, the dashboard 200
may be customized to a specific corporation's preferences, including
corporate re-branding for internal uses by a corporation and its clients.

[0078]FIG. 3 depicts an enterprise dashboard 300 in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. In embodiments, enterprise dashboard
300 may be included as part of a larger platform. The enterprise
dashboard 300 may combine the display of characteristics 204, attributes
208, quantities 210, values 212, other items 214, and the like of
environmentally relevant items 202 in a single user interface. The
enterprise dashboard 300 may be a multi-environmentally relevant item
202, multi-jurisdiction environmental dashboard. In an embodiment, the
dashboard 300 may combine the display of RECs 218, EECs 220, and CCs 222,
or any other credits 224 (including credits, offsets, allowances,
allocations and the like) or other 328 environmentally relevant items
202, displaying them as a portfolio 230 of managed environmentally
relevant items 202. The platform 104 may show the status 232 of a
particular environmentally relevant item 202 or a group of
environmentally relevant items 202 by area 234, obligation type 238,
position 240, other attribute 242 (such as long or short), and the like.
The platform 104 may show the activity 244 of a particular
environmentally relevant item 202 or a group of environmentally relevant
items 202 such as by listing environmentally relevant items 202 being
watched 248, listing active transactions 350, listing inactive
transactions, listing past transactions and/or brokered transactions 252,
providing past history 354, summaries of other activity 358, and the
like. The enterprise dashboard 300 may show views based on different
environmentally relevant items 202. The enterprise dashboard 300 may
allow for the application of filters 274 and multiple filters at the same
time. The enterprise dashboard 300 may present various views of the
overall portfolio 230 of environmentally relevant items 202 or specific
aspects of the portfolio 230 of environmentally relevant items 202. The
enterprise dashboard 300 may enable a user to make decisions 278
regarding transactions 282 involving environmentally relevant items 202.
The enterprise dashboard 300 may allow a user to determine how to
optimize 280 and/or maximize the value of a portfolio of environmentally
relevant items 202. The enterprise dashboard 300 may present raw data
284. In embodiments, the enterprise dashboard 300 may be customized 302
to a specific user's preferences. In further embodiments, the enterprise
dashboard 300 may enable corporate re-branding 304 for a corporation
and/or its clients. In an embodiment, the enterprise dashboard 300 may be
customized to a specific corporation's preferences, including corporate
re-branding 304 for internal uses by a corporation and its clients. The
enterprise dashboard 300 may present graphics or figures 260. In
embodiments, the enterprise dashboard 300 may present line graphs 262,
bar graphs 264, pie charts 268, other graphics or figures 270, and the
like.

[0079]An aspect of the present invention relates to a method for
facilitating exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant
items 202. In an example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in
the form of equities, options, warrants, futures, listed managed
investments, interest rate securities, and the like. Referring to FIG. 4,
a process 400 may be illustrated. The process 400 may begin at step 402,
where a credit recognized by a first jurisdiction may be identified. This
credit may be identified as a first type of credit. In an example, the
first type of credit may be a carbon credit. In embodiments, the
jurisdiction may be a locality, state, sub-region, region or nation or a
jurisdiction with at least one particular regulatory and compliance
authority. Further, the process 400 may identify a second type of credit
at step 404. The second type of credit may be recognized by a second
jurisdiction. In an aspect of the invention, the second type of credit
may be an emissions allowance provided to an organization for controlling
pollution. Further, the emission allowance may be approved by a
jurisdiction such as a pollution control department of a country,
European Union Emission Trading Scheme, or some other type of
jurisdiction. In embodiments, the first and the second types of credits
may be associated with an environmentally relevant action. The
environmentally relevant action may be buying, selling, exchanging, and
the like. For example, the first type of environmentally relevant action
may be buying of carbon credits in the market, producing a good in a
factory or operating an airplane. The process 400 may proceed finally to
step 408. At step 408, information regarding the first and second types
of credits may be associated with a common user interface. In
embodiments, the common user interface may be a graphical user interface,
a voice based interface, a web-based interface, a tactile or touch-based,
and some other type of user interface.

[0080]Referring to FIG. 5, a process 500 is illustrated for facilitating
exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant items 202.
The process 500 may begin at step 502 where a type of credit recognized
by a first market may be identified. In embodiments, the type of credit
may be a carbon emission reduction credit, and the like. In embodiments,
the type of credit may be associated with an environmentally relevant
action. In embodiments, the first market may include industrial markets,
voluntary markets, mandatory markets, and the like. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant action may be buying, selling, exchanging, and
the like. At step 504, a type of credit recognized by a second market may
be identified. In embodiments, the type of credit may be associated with
an environmentally relevant action, where the second market may include
industrial markets, voluntary markets, mandatory markets, and the like.
Finally at step 508, the environmental dashboard 200 may be provided. In
embodiments, the environmental dashboard 200 may be used by a user to
manage activities relevant to a plurality of types of credits. In
embodiments, the dashboard 200 may combine the display of characteristics
204, attributes 208, quantities 210, values 212, and the likes of
environmentally relevant items 202 in a single user interface.

[0081]In embodiments, a method 600 for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided. In an
example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in the form of carbon
credits, emission allowance, and the like. Referring to FIG. 6, at step
602, the REC 218 recognized by a first market and associated with an
environmentally relevant action may be identified. The first market may
be a renewable energy credit market, industrial market, voluntary market,
regulatory market, and the like. Further, the environmentally relevant
action may be buying, selling, exchanging, trading, and the like.
Following this, at step 604, the EEC 220 recognized by a second market
associated with an environmentally relevant action may be identified. At
step 608, a carbon reduction credit recognized by a third market
associated with an environmentally relevant action may be identified. For
example, the carbon reduction credit, recognized by the REC 218 market
and associated with an environmental security, say emission allowance,
may be identified. Further, the carbon reduction credit may be associated
with buying of carbon credits 222 in the market. At step 608, a carbon
reduction credit recognized by a third market associated with an
environmentally relevant action may be identified. At step 609, a carbon
emission allowance recognized by a fourth market associated with an
environmentally relevant action may be identified. In a similar manner, a
pollution reduction credit recognized by a fifth market associated with
an environmentally relevant action may be identified at step 610.
Further, the environmental dashboard 200 may be provided to a user at
step 612. The environmental dashboard 200 may allow the user to manage
activities relevant to the REC 218, the EEC 220, the pollution reduction,
and the carbon credit 222 markets 112. In embodiments, the environmental
dashboard 200 may combine the display of RECs, EECs, and CCs (including
credits, offsets, allowances, allocations and the like) or other
environmentally relevant items 202, displaying them as a portfolio of
managed environmentally relevant items 202.

[0082]In embodiments, a process 700 for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided.
Referring to FIG. 7, at step 702, a type of credit recognized by a market
associated with the environmentally relevant action may be identified.
The market may be a renewable energy credit market industrial market,
voluntary market, regulatory market and the like. For example, the carbon
credit 222, recognized by a renewable energy credit market industrial
market and associated with an environmental security, say emission
allowance, may be identified. The environmentally relevant action may
also be buying, selling, exchanging, and the like. Following this, at
step 704, a user interface may be provided which may enable a user to
search for environmentally relevant actions with a credit-based view. The
user interface may be provided for the search engine of the platform 104.
In embodiments, the user interface in the search engine may allow for
creation of a credit-based view of environmentally relevant items 202.
Upon creation of the credit-based view, the user may search the
environmentally relevant action by using the user interface.

[0083]The platform 104 may include a reporting engine. The reporting
engine may generate various reports and report products. The reporting
engine may generate compliance reports. The reporting engine may generate
reports based on attributes or combinations of attributes or other
characteristics of environmentally relevant items 202. The reporting
engine may generate reports by trader, producer, consumer, jurisdiction,
such as local, state, sub-regional, regional, national and international,
regulatory agent, regulatory regime, reporting period and the like. The
reporting engine may generate a trading report, a transaction report, a
retirement report, a quality report, a market condition report and the
like. The reporting engine may track the history of an environmentally
relevant item 202 and/or group of environmentally relevant items 202. The
reporting engine may monitor for green-washing and/or double-counting.
The reporting engine may generate a report of the history. The reporting
engine may include a facility to perform immediate ad hoc queries and
generate custom reports. The reporting engine may generate reports for
purposes of auditing, audit trails, forensic reporting, regulatory
compliance, financial compliance and market oversight. In embodiments,
the reporting engine, possibly in association with the market oversight
facility, may generate reports that enable oversight for the general
public and industry watchdog groups. The reporting engine may provide a
report with a breakdown of source of the actions resulting in the
environmentally relevant item 202. The reporting engine may report on the
historical demand, supply, price and the like of an environmentally
relevant item 202. The reporting engine may enable regulators to assess
the overall performance of the market and the impact on the economy.

[0084]The platform 104 may contain a forensic reporting facility. The
forensic reporting facility may query the platform 104 for historical
information. The forensic reporting facility may generate historical
reports. In an embodiment, the forensic reporting facility may uncover or
understand areas of potential fraud or market manipulation by market
participants 110. In embodiments, the forensic reporting facility may
provide information that is non-falsifiable and such information may be
recoverable under court or regulatory order. In an embodiment, the
forensic reporting facility may allow for the creation or re-creation of
records containing the environmentally relevant items 202 transacted in
one or more accounts in during a certain period. In an embodiment, the
forensic reporting facility may re-create the key strokes of a particular
participant. In an embodiment, the forensic reporting facility may create
a log of transactions and actions taken by an individual or organization
or a group of individuals or organizations. In an embodiment, the
forensic reporting facility may be directly accessible by a regulator. In
an embodiment, the forensic reporting facility may permit assessment of
compliance with laws, rules and/or regulations.

[0085]FIG. 8 depicts a market oversight facility 800 for facilitating
oversight of a plurality of markets 112 in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention. In embodiments, the platform 104 may include a
market oversight facility 800. The market oversight facility 800 may
facilitate oversight 802 of one or more markets 112 where environmentally
relevant items 202 may be transacted. The market oversight facility 800
may generate reports 830 that enable regulatory market oversight 838 and
oversight of various markets 112 and groups including the electricity
market 808, financial market 810 and others 812 by multiple oversight
authorities 840, including, without limitation, environmental compliance
oversight regulators 804, electricity market oversight regulators,
financial market oversight regulators, authorities 840, government 842,
the public 844, watch dog groups 814 and/or others 818. In embodiments,
environmental compliance oversight 804 may include oversight of emissions
reduction. In embodiments, electricity market oversight 808 may include
oversight of reduction of electricity usage. In embodiments, financial
market oversight 810 may include oversight of securities, commodities,
brokers 820 and exchanges 822. In an embodiment, the market oversight
facility 800 may enable the platform 104 to impose/enforce limits 834 on
the quantity of trading or position limits for certain types of market
participants 110, such as financial institutions 828, brokers 820,
exchanges 822, speculators 824 and/or others 846, or for certain types of
environmentally relevant items 202. In addition, the imposed/enforced
limits 834 may be associated with oversight 802. In embodiments, an
enforcement facility 832 may be associated with enforcement activities of
the market oversight facility 800. In embodiments, enforcement 832 may be
associated with exchanges 822. In embodiments, the market oversight
facility 800 may support multiple types of market oversight from a single
platform 104. In an embodiment, the market oversight facility 800 may
impose and/or enforce trading limits 834 and/or position limits for
certain environmentally relevant items 202 for certain participants 110.

[0086]Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary process 900 is illustrated for
facilitating exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant
items 202. The process 900 may begin at step 902 where a type of credit
recognized by a first market may be identified. In embodiments, the type
of credit may be carbon emission reduction credits, carbon credits and
the like. In embodiments, the first market may include industrial
markets, voluntary markets, mandatory markets and the like. At step 904,
a type of credit recognized by a second market may be identified. In
embodiments, the type of credit may be associated with an environmentally
relevant action. In embodiments, the second market may include industrial
markets, voluntary markets, mandatory markets and the like. Finally at
step 908, users may be allowed to oversee activity in the first market
and the second market. In embodiments, the activities in the first market
and the second market may be seen by the users in a common platform 104.

[0087]In embodiments, a process 1000 for facilitating the exchange of
rights associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be
provided. In an example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in
form of carbon credits, emission allowance, and the like. Referring to
FIG. 10, at step 1002, a type of credit recognized by a first market
associated with an environmentally relevant action may be identified. The
first market may be a REC market, industrial market, voluntary market,
regulatory market, and the like. For example, a carbon credit, recognized
by the renewable energy credit market industrial market and associated
with an environmental security, say emission allowance, may be
identified. The environmentally relevant action may also be buying,
selling, exchanging, and the like. For example, the carbon credit may be
associated with buying of carbon credits in the market.

[0088]Following this, at step 1004, another type of credit recognized by a
second market associated with an environmentally relevant action may be
identified. The second market may be an industrial market, voluntary
market, regulatory market and the like. For example, a residential
emission reduction credit, recognized by a voluntary market and
associated with an environmental security, may be identified. In
embodiments, the environmental security may be approved by a jurisdiction
such as a pollution control department of a country or some other type of
jurisdiction. In embodiments, the second type of credit may be associated
with a different type of environmentally relevant action. Similarly, at
step 1008, yet another type of credit recognized by a third market
associated with an environmentally relevant action may be identified. The
third market may be an industrial market, voluntary market, regulatory
market and the like. Similarly, at step 1010, yet another type of credit
recognized by a fourth market associated with an environmentally relevant
action may be identified. Following this, at step 1012, users may be
allowed to oversee activity in all four markets under a common platform.
For example, the user may be allowed to oversee activity in either the
renewable energy credit 218 market or an energy efficiency credit 220
market or a pollution reduction market or a carbon credit 222 market.

[0089]An exchange rate 120, multiplier, weighting, point-based system,
score-based system or the like may allow for conversion between and/or
comparison of an environmentally relevant item 202 with another
environmentally relevant item 202 or a financial instrument, including,
without limitation a security or commodity. In certain embodiments, the
exchange rate 120, multiplier, weighting, point-based system, score-based
system or the like may be determined by or associated with an exchange
rate facility. The term "exchange rate" as used herein may include an
exchange rate, a multiplier, a weighting, a point-based system, a
score-based system and the like and the implementation of the exchange
rate mechanism in the platform 104 and through the systems and methods
described herein.

[0090]FIG. 11 depicts conversion and/or comparison of an environmentally
relevant item 202 with another environmentally relevant item 202 or a
financial instrument in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. In embodiments, the platform 104 may include an exchange rate
facility 1104. The exchange rate facility 1104 may determine, be
associated with and/or provide an exchange rate 120, a multiplier 1118, a
weighting 1120, a point-based system 1122, a score-based system 1124, and
the like. The exchange rate facility 1104 may allow for conversion
between or comparison of a first environmentally relevant item 202 or
financial instrument with a second environmentally relevant item 202 or
financial instrument, including, without limitation, a security or
commodity. The exchange rate facility 1104 may also allow for comparisons
and/or conversions of and among any number of environmentally relevant
items 202 and/or financial instruments.

[0091]The exchange rate facility 1104 may analyze and consider various
attributes 1112 of various environmentally relevant items 202 and/or
financial instruments, including, without limitation, value 1130, spread
1132, derivatives 1134, arbitrage opportunities 1138 and other attributes
1139. An exchange rate 120 may be determined by the analytic engine 1148.
An exchange rate 120 may be determined by the exchange rate facility 1104
in association with the analytic engine 1148. The exchange rate facility
1104 may be updated in real time 1140 or periodically 1142. The exchange
rate facility 1104 may consider market conditions 1150 and other factors
1144. The exchange rate facility 1104 may be queried via a query facility
1110. An exchange rate 120 may be for conversion of one environmentally
relevant item 202 to another. In an example, the environmentally relevant
item 202 `A` 1102 may be converted into a financial relevant item `B`
1108 based on the exchange rate 120. In an embodiment, a REC 218 under
the rules of one jurisdiction or protocol may be converted into a carbon
offset pursuant to the rules of another jurisdiction. The exchange rate
120 may be for conversion of one environmentally relevant item 202 to a
financial instrument, including, without limitation, a security or
commodity. The exchange rate 120 may be for transfer of an
environmentally relevant item 202 from one jurisdiction to another. The
exchange rate 120 may be for transfer of an environmentally relevant item
202 from one application or regulatory or jurisdictional regime to
another.

[0092]In an embodiment, the exchange rate 120 may be a currency exchange
rate. In an embodiment, the exchange rate 120 may be a unit of measure
conversion. The platform 104 may provide and/or determine the exchange
rate 120, such as by using the analytic engine 1148. The exchange rate
120 may change with the market conditions 1150. Further, the exchange
rate 120 may be updated in real time 1140 or may be updated periodically
1142. The exchange rate 120 may provide an indication of value of an
environmentally relevant item 202. By using exchange rates 120, a net
effect may be to have some or all environmentally relevant items 202
(such as RECs, EECs, CCs or others) in one common currency or measure.
The exchange rate 120 may be used to calculate and/or determine the value
1130, or may actually be, the spread between two environmentally relevant
items 202 or an environmentally relevant item 1102 and a financial
instrument 1108, including, without limitation, a security or commodity.
In an embodiment, the exchange rate 120 may call for the computation or
creation of a derivative 1134 that allows a user to determine a REC to
carbon-carbon avoidance measure associated with a REC. The exchange rates
120 may enable the arbitrage 1138 of the same environmentally relevant
item 202 1102 type across different jurisdictions 272. For example, a
Massachusetts REC and a Texas REC may not be valid in the other state's
jurisdiction, but environmentally relevant items 202 and derivatives
thereof allow swaps and arbitrage transactions to occur. The different
jurisdictions 272 may be different international countries or markets. In
another example, the creation of a derivative that enables trading around
a carbon credit and the avoided carbon of a REC in the same or different
jurisdictional region. In another embodiment, a regional greenhouse gas
initiative (RGGI) carbon offset or allowance may not be valid in a
western climate initiative (WCI) market system, but environmentally
relevant items 202 and derivatives thereof may allow swaps and arbitrage
transactions to occur.

[0093]An exchange rate 120 may be used to create derivative types of
environmentally relevant items 202, such as an environmentally relevant
item 202 relating to a different carbon footprint than the
environmentally relevant items 202 from which it is derived. An exchange
rate 120 may be associated with each attribute and/or groups of
attributes 1112 of an environmentally relevant item 202. The overall
exchange rate 120 for an environmentally relevant item 202 may be the sum
of or other measure linked to the exchange rates relating to the various
attributes of the environmentally relevant item 202. In this regard, a
derivative environmentally relevant item 202 may be created based on
certain attributes 1112 of a group of underlying environmentally relevant
items 202 and financial instruments, including, without limitation, a
security or commodity, and the exchange rate for the derivative
environmentally relevant item 202 can be determined. This exchange rate
120 may be used to determine the value 1130 of the derivative
environmentally relevant item 1102. In this manner custom or designer
derivative environmentally relevant items 1102 may be created. The custom
or designer derivative environmentally relevant item 1102 may be focused
on a particular form of pollution, on a particular jurisdiction, on the
technology and/or methods used for generation of any underlying
environmentally relevant items 202 and the like. The exchange rates 120
relating to attributes of an environmentally relevant item 202 may be
rolled up into various scores, views and the like.

[0094]Referring to FIG. 12, a process 1200 is illustrated for facilitating
exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant items 202.
The process 1200 may begin at step 1202 where a first type of credit
recognized by a jurisdiction may be identified. The jurisdiction may
include localities, states, sub-regions, regions, countries,
international jurisdictions and the like. The first credit may be
associated with a first type of environmentally relevant action. At step
1204, a second type of credit recognized by a jurisdiction may be
identified. The second credit may also be associated with a different
type of environmentally relevant action. Finally at step 1208, a common
attribute of the credits may be identified. In embodiments, the common
attribute of the credits may facilitate establishing a rate of an
exchange among the types of credit with respect to the given
environmentally relevant action.

[0095]In embodiments, a method for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided. The
method may be depicted by a process 1300 as shown in FIG. 13. In an
example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in form of carbon
credits, emission allowances and the like. At step 1302, the process 1300
may identify a REC. In an example, the REC may be 1000 kWh of electricity
generated from renewable energy sources such as wind, air, water, and
some other types of renewable sources. Further, the renewable energy
sources may be recognized from a jurisdiction, where the jurisdiction may
include localities, states, sub-regions, regions, countries,
international jurisdictions, and the like. In addition, the REC may be
associated with a first type of environmentally relevant action. In an
example, the first type of environmentally relevant action may be selling
of environmentally relevant items 202.

[0096]At step 1304, an EEC may be identified. In an example, the EEC may
be in the form of optimum utilization of energy. The EEC may be approved
from an internationally recognized agency. Further, the EEC may be
associated with different types of environmentally relevant actions. For
example, a different type of environmentally relevant action may be the
trading of environmentally relevant items 202. The process 1300 may
further proceed to step 1308. At step 1308, a renewable energy efficiency
credit may be identified. In embodiments, the renewable energy efficiency
credit may be associated with a user of a specific type of renewable
energy efficiency source such as solar energy. In addition, the renewable
energy efficiency credit may be recognized by a jurisdiction that may be
a region. In addition, renewable energy credit may be associated with a
first type of environmentally relevant action. At step 1310, the process
1300 may identify a pollution reduction credit. Further, the pollution
reduction credit may be approved by an international jurisdiction. In
addition, the EEC may be associated with a different type of
environmentally relevant action. In an example, the different type of
environmentally relevant action may be clearing and/or retiring
environmentally relevant items 202. Finally, at step 1312 of the process
1300, identification of common attributes for different types of credits
may be provided. In an example, the credits may be carbon credits,
emission allowances, and the like. The identification of different type
of credits may facilitate establishing a rate of exchange among the
different types of credits. In an example, the exchange rate among
different type of credits may be based on currency or some other
parameter. Additionally, the exchange rate among different type of
credits may be based on environmentally relevant actions.

[0097]In an embodiment, an aspect of the present invention relates to a
method for facilitating exchange of rights associated with
environmentally relevant items 202. Referring to FIG. 14, a process 1400
is illustrated. The process 1400 may begin at step 1402 where a first
type of credit recognized by a first jurisdiction may be identified. In
embodiments, the first type of credit may be associated with an
environmentally relevant action. In embodiments, the environmentally
relevant action may be selling of environmentally relevant items 202. In
embodiments, the first jurisdiction may include localities, states,
sub-regions, regions, countries, international jurisdictions, and the
like. At step 1404, a second type of credit recognized by a second
jurisdiction such as localities, states, sub-regions, regions, countries,
international jurisdictions, and the like, may be identified. In
embodiments, the second type of credit may be associated with an
environmentally relevant action. Finally at step 1408, a common attribute
of the credits may be identified. In embodiments, the common attribute of
the credits may facilitate establishing a rate of an exchange between the
jurisdictions with respect to a given environmentally relevant action.

[0098]Derivatives may be created to enable the trading of environmentally
relevant items 202 in various stages of origination or certification or
verification, or to manage certain risk factors or to increase liquidity
and fungibility. In an embodiment, a derivative 1134 or other financial
instrument may be created that combines a carbon offset or project
related emissions reduction that has not yet received certification with
an insurance product to enable trading on the expectation that
certification and verification will be completed. In the event that the
certification is not received an insurance payout may be received. In
another embodiment, a derivative product may enable the combination of a
group of similar carbon credits into a single product to increase market
liquidity and volume. In another embodiment, a derivative product may be
an aggregation of different environmentally relevant items 202 including
a combination of higher cost and lower cost credits to achieve a desired
price point. In another embodiment, a derivative 1134 may consist of
environmentally relevant items 202 with different expiration dates or
associated time periods. The result may be a time diversified
environmentally relevant item 202.

[0099]In embodiments, a process 1500 for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided.
Referring to FIG. 15, at step 1502, a first type of credit associated
with an environmentally relevant item 202 may be identified. For example,
the first type of credit may be a carbon credit that may be recognized by
a jurisdiction. The jurisdiction may be a locality, state, sub-region,
region or nation with distinct regulatory and compliance authorities, and
the like. In embodiments, the first type of credit may be associated with
the first type of environmentally relevant action. The environmentally
relevant action may be buying, selling, exchanging, trading, and the
like. For example, the carbon credit may be associated with buying of
carbon credits in the market. Following this, at step 1504, a second type
of credit may be identified. For example, the second type of credit may
be an emissions allowance provided to an organization for controlling
pollution. In addition, the emission allowance may be approved by a
jurisdiction such as a pollution control department of a country,
European Union Emission Trading Scheme, or some other type of
jurisdiction. In embodiments, the second type of credit may be associated
with a different type of environmentally relevant action. For example,
emission allowance may be associated with a different environmentally
relevant action such as selling of emission allowance.

[0100]At step 1508, a disparity between the benefit of the first type of
credit and the benefit of the second type of credit in view of a given
environmentally relevant action may be identified. For example, a
disparity between the benefits of carbon credit and emission allowance
may be identified in view of buying of a certain credit. Following this,
at step 1510, an instrument may be provided for a transaction based on
the nature of the spread. For example, a transaction may be undertaken
according to the disparity between the benefits of carbon credit and
emission allowance. In embodiments, the transaction may involve imports
and exports of credits. In embodiments, the transaction may involve
emissions allocations purchased in an auction process. In an embodiment,
the transaction may involve standing orders to buy and sell. In another
embodiment, the transaction may be a forward transfer involving
reconciliation. In yet another embodiment, the transaction may be a
direct exchange. The transaction may be cross-jurisdictional, where the
jurisdiction may be a locality, state, sub-region, region or nation with
distinct regulatory and compliance authorities.

[0101]The platform 104 may include an analytic engine 1148. The analytic
engine 1148 may perform analysis in connection with one or more
environmentally relevant items 202. The analysis may be included in
reports. The analytic engine 1148 may analyze a portfolio of
environmentally relevant items 202. The analysis may include trading
advice and recommendations. The analytic engine 1148 may generate a
supply curve. The supply curve may be for one or more environmentally
relevant items 202. The supply curve may be restricted by other
parameters, such as jurisdiction. In an embodiment, a supply curve may
show how many MWh produced by an independent systems operator. The
analytic engine 1148 may generate a demand curve. The demand curve may be
for one or more environmentally relevant items 202. The demand curve may
be restricted by other parameters, such as jurisdiction. The analytic
engine 1148 may assess obligations based on the load and the amount the
load serving entity has served. The analytic engine 1148 may determine
derivative measures, such as carbon avoided by use of a REC. The analytic
engine 1148 may determine dependence on fuel for voluntary markets. The
analytic engine 1148 may calculate offsets. The platform 104 may assist
with calculation of offsets. The analytic engine 1148 may also determine
remaining obligations by subtracting offsets, allocations and credits
from an initial obligation.

[0102]FIG. 16 depicts a jurisdictional complexity manager 122 in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The platform 104
may include a jurisdictional complexity manager 122. The jurisdictional
complexity manager 122 may manage jurisdictional complexity, such as
across localities 1604, states 1608, sub-regions 1610, regions 1612,
nationwide 1614 and international 1618 jurisdictions. The jurisdictional
complexity manager 122 may track, manage, and implement (possibly via a
tracking facility 1624, managing facility 1622 and an implementation
facility 1628, respectively) compliance rules for one or more
jurisdictions 272, including classes and categories of commodities,
securities or financial instruments; reporting requirements and reports;
the timing of data exchange and data transfer; the rules regarding the
trading periods of the marketplace within the jurisdiction; rules
regarding the creation, tracking, and retirement of environmentally
relevant items 202; rules regarding the banking and carry over of
environmentally relevant items 202 from one trading period to the next;
workflows and approval processes; tracking of environmentally relevant
items 202 attributes across jurisdictions 272; tracking and validity of
environmentally relevant items 202 created outside the jurisdiction to
meet obligations within the jurisdiction; tracking of emissions and
avoided carbon associated with environmentally relevant items 202 across
jurisdictions 272 and the like. The jurisdictional complexity manager 122
may manage complexity across various protocols 1640. The jurisdictional
complexity manager 122 may be used by and/or associated with a domestic
and/or international platform or platforms 1630, markets 112, exchanges
822, depositories 1632, registries 1634, brokers 820, jurisdictions 272,
participants 110 and others 1638, as shown in FIG. 16.

[0103]The jurisdictional complexity manager 122 may enable global
distribution of US environmentally relevant items 202. The jurisdictional
complexity manager 122 may enable international environmentally relevant
items 202 to be distributed in the US. In an embodiment, the
jurisdictional complexity manager 122 may enable EU-Emissions Trading
Scheme Clean Development Mechanism/Joint Implementation carbon credits to
be imported, tracked, distributed and transacted in United States markets
112. Jurisdictions 272 or localities 1604 may be relevant to an
environmentally relevant item 202 and an exchange rate 120 may be useful
for inter-jurisdictional analysis and conversion. In an embodiment, a
different weight or multiple may be applied to a REC that is produced
next to a load center than to one that is produced in a remote area. In
another embodiment, a different weight or multiple may be applied to a
REC produced using solar energy than to one produced using wind power or
landfill gas. The jurisdictional complexity manager 122 may present
tradeoffs across jurisdictions 272. The jurisdictional complexity manager
122 may be linked to the import/export manager 124 and
cross-environmentally relevant item complexity manager 128. The
jurisdictional complexity manager 122 may interface with other US or
international platforms 1630, markets 112, brokers 820, exchanges 822 and
jurisdictions 272.

[0104]Programs and qualifications for, and the laws, rules and regulations
governing, the creation, administration, allowance and the like of
environmentally relevant items 202 may vary by locality, state,
sub-region, region and country. In addition, local, state, regional,
federal and international jurisdictions 272 may overlap in some respects
but not in others. For example, jurisdictions 272 may vary regarding
which industries and which emissions are regulated, which forms of
renewable energy are promoted in jurisdiction and which forms of energy
efficiency are promoted in the jurisdiction. As a result the
jurisdictional complexity manager may assist with jurisdictional
qualification management. As different entities may qualify as generators
in different jurisdictions 272, the jurisdictional complexity manager 122
may assist with qualifying generators and environmentally relevant items
202. As different energy sources and environmentally relevant items 202
are relevant to different jurisdictions 272, the jurisdictional
complexity manager 122 may assist with qualifying energy sources and
environmentally relevant items 202. The platform 104 may take these
factors into account and may update the information concerning these
factors in real time, at set intervals, on demand and/or periodically.

[0105]In an embodiment, the jurisdictional complexity manager 122 may
manage the jurisdictional complexity of RECs, energy efficiency and
carbon commodities. In an embodiment, the jurisdictional complexity
manager 122 may manage jurisdictional complexity across multiple states
for carbon. In an embodiment, the platform 104 may cover different
environmentally relevant items 202 in different jurisdictions 272 and
among different protocols 1640. The platform 104 may enable tracking of
common attributes and/or at least a common denominator among different
protocols 1640 and/or jurisdictions 272. The jurisdictional complexity
manager 122 may determine exchange rates 120 across jurisdictions 272
and/or protocols 1640. The jurisdictional complexity manager 122, alone
or in conjunction with other aspects of the platform 104, may assist with
avoidance of double counting. The jurisdictional complexity manager 122
may enable environmentally relevant items 202 to have geographic
component 1602. In an embodiment, a voluntary participant may want to
have an environmental impact in certain regions, such as plant locations
or regions with customers and the jurisdictional complexity manager 122
may facilitate this selective impact. In an embodiment, a voluntary
participant may want to have an environmental impact in certain regions,
such as plant locations or regions with customers in a particular
jurisdiction and the jurisdictional complexity manager 122 may facilitate
this selective impact. In embodiments, the jurisdictional complexity
manager 122 may interface with domestic or international platforms 1630,
markets 112, exchanges 822, depositories 1632, registries 1634, brokers
820, jurisdictions 272, participants 110, others 1638, and the like.

[0106]In embodiments, a method for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided. The
method may be depicted by a process 1700 as shown in FIG. 17. In an
example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in form of carbon
credits, emission allowance, and the like. Further, an environmentally
relevant item 202 may be an emission allowance. Referring to FIG. 17, at
step 1702, the process 1700 may identify a first type of credit
associated with the environmentally relevant item 202. In an example the
first type of credit may be a carbon credit that may be recognized by a
jurisdiction. In an example, a jurisdiction may be a locality, state,
sub-region, region or nation with distinct regulatory and compliance
authorities, and the like. In addition, the process 1700 may associate
the first type of credit with the first type of environmentally relevant
action. The environmentally relevant action may be buying, selling,
exchanging, and the like. For example, the first type of environmentally
relevant action may be buying of carbon credits in the market.

[0107]Further, at step 1704, the process 1700 may identify a second type
of credit. In an example, the second type of credit may be an emissions
allowance provided to an organization for controlling pollution. Further,
the emission allowance may be approved by a jurisdiction such as a
pollution control department of a country, European Union Emission
Trading Scheme, or some other type of jurisdiction. Furthermore, at step
1704 of the process 1700, the second type of credit may be associated
with a different type of environmentally relevant action. In an example,
an emission allowance may be associated with a different environmentally
relevant action such as the selling of an emission allowance. At step
1708, a manager module, such as the jurisdictional complexity manager
122, may be provided for managing actions related to both type of
credits. Alternatively, the manager module may be associated with the
jurisdictional complexity manager 122. The jurisdictional complexity
manager 122 may manage jurisdictional complexity, such as across
localities 1604, states 1608, sub-regions 1610, regions 1612, nationwide
1614 and international 1618 jurisdictions 272. The manger module may
provide a user with an ability to manage actions for different type of
credits. In an example, the manager module may allow the user to manage
the first type of environmentally relevant credit and the second type of
environmentally relevant credit. For example, the first type of
environmentally relevant credit may be a carbon credit and the second
type of environmentally relevant credit may be an emissions allowance.

[0109]Referring to FIG. 19, a process 1900 for facilitating exchange of
rights associated with environmentally relevant items 202 is illustrated.
The process 1900 may begin at step 1902, where a first type of credit
recognized by a jurisdiction may be identified. In embodiments, the
credit may be associated with the first type of environmentally relevant
action. Further, at step 1904, a second credit recognized by a
jurisdiction may be identified. In embodiments, the second credit may be
associated with a different type of environmentally relevant action.
Finally at step 1908, a manager module, such as a cross-environmentally
relevant item complexity manager 128, may be provided. In embodiments,
the manager module may be used by a user to manage actions relevant to
both types of credit. In other embodiments, the manager module may allow
the user to initiate transaction. In embodiments, the transaction may be
related to a chosen type of credit. The transactions may include
creating, tracking, auctioning, buying, selling, trading, clearing,
retiring and other types of transactions.

[0110]In embodiments, a method for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided. The
method may be depicted by a process 2000 as shown in FIG. 20. In an
example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be carbon credits,
emission allowances, and the like. Further, the facilitation of the
exchange of rights may involve exchanging environmentally relevant items
202. In an example, the environmentally relevant items 202 may be an
emission allowance. At step 2002, the process 2000 may identify a carbon
reduction credit. The carbon reduction credit may be approved by a
jurisdiction. Additionally, the carbon reduction credit may be associated
with a first type of environmentally relevant action such as an action of
buying environmentally relevant items 202. At step 2003, the process 2000
may identify a carbon emissions allowance. The process 2000 may further
proceed to step 2004, where a renewable energy credit may be identified.
In an example, the renewable energy credit may be 1000 kWh of electricity
generated from renewable energy sources. Further, the renewable energy
source may be recognized from a jurisdiction. In an example, a
jurisdiction may include a specific country. In addition, a renewable
energy credit may be associated with a different type of environmentally
relevant action. In an example, the different type of environmentally
relevant action may be selling of environmentally relevant items 202.

[0111]At step 2008, an energy efficiency credit may be identified. In an
example, the energy efficiency credit may be in form of an energy
reduction credit. Further, the energy efficiency credit may be approved
by an internationally recognized agency. Furthermore, the energy
efficiency credit may be associated with different types of
environmentally relevant actions. In an example, the different type of
environmentally relevant action may be trading of environmentally
relevant items 202. At step 2010, the process 2000 may identify a
pollution reduction credit. Further, the pollution reduction credit may
be approved from an international jurisdiction. In addition, the energy
efficiency credit may be associated with different types of
environmentally relevant action. In an example, the different type of
environmentally relevant action may be clearing and/or retiring
environmentally relevant items 202. Finally at step 2012, a manger module
may be provided. The manager module may provide management of all types
of actions associated with a user. In an example, the user may manage
buying, selling, trading or some other type of user action, using the
manager module.

[0112]FIG. 21 depicts an import/export manager 124 in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. The platform 104 may include an
import/export manager 124. The import/export manager 124 may manage
imports and/or exports of environmentally relevant items 202. The
import/export manager 124 may interface with at least one other US
platform 1802 or international platform 1804, market 112, broker 820,
exchange 822, jurisdiction 272 or some other platform 2108. The
import/export manager 124 may enable transfer of environmentally relevant
items 202 from one platform/system 104 to another. The import/export
manager 124 may be associated with environmentally relevant items 202,
exchange rates 120, laws and regulatory regimes 2102, financial
instruments 2104, others 2110, and the like. The import/export manager
124 may enable transfer of environmentally relevant items 202 from one
jurisdiction to another, including local 1604, state 1608, sub-regional
1610, regional 1612, national 1614 and international jurisdictions 1618.
The import/export manager 124 may utilize exchange rates 120. The
import/export manager 124 may account for differences in applicable laws
and regulatory regimes 2102. The import/export manager 124 may manage the
import and/or export of financial instruments 2104. The import/export
manager 124 may be combined with the jurisdictional complexity manager
122 and the cross-environmentally relevant item complexity manager 128.

[0113]The platform 104 may include a workflow manager. The workflow
manager may allow for the creation, management and monitoring of
workflows. In an embodiment, the workflow manager may allow for the
creation of a workflow for generating a new environmentally relevant item
202. The workflow manager may specify the sequence of steps through which
an environmentally relevant item 202 is created and verified. The
workflow manager may enable the sequence of steps in a workflow to be
configured and implemented in a manner customized to the needs of a
particular jurisdiction, institution or the like. The workflow manager
may monitor progress through the various steps and may send alerts once
certain steps are complete. In an embodiment, the workflow manager may
send event, calendar, and workflow triggered email messages and alerts.
This may include event-driven distribution of information to relevant
parties with appropriate access rights, based on the desired workflow. In
another embodiment, the workflow manager may manage the steps involved in
transferring an environmentally relevant item 202 from one party to
another.

[0114]The workflow manager may include a document management facility. The
document management facility may include the ability to track various
versions and types of documents associated with each environmentally
relevant item 202. The document management facility may provide a feature
for the serial number based lookup and searching of each environmentally
relevant item 202, so that documents related to each serialized item can
be retrieved by the owner of the environmentally relevant item 202 for
the lifetime of a program.

[0115]The platform 104 may include a registry. The registry may be a
registry of environmentally relevant items 202. The registry may be a
registry of transactions involving environmentally relevant items 202.
The registry may be a registry of creation, origination, certification,
verification and/or retirement of environmentally relevant items 202. The
registry may be a registry of generators (including entities, companies,
individuals and the like) of environmentally relevant items 202, buyers
and traders of environmentally relevant items 202 and the like. The
registry may cover various environmentally relevant items 202. The
registry may cover various jurisdictions, may link up registries of
various localities, states, sub-regions, regions or countries and/or may
link up many different markets into one platform. The registry may
function to prevent double counting and limit green-washing. The registry
may take into account mandatory and/or voluntary markets. The registry
may be hosted. The registry may be deployed at a corporate level to track
environmentally relevant items 202, obligations and emissions for a firm.
The registry may be deployed for a broker, marketer or financial
institution to track environmentally relevant items 202, obligations or
emissions for multiple clients. The registry may be deployed for a local,
sub-regional, regional, state or national market or exchange to track
environmentally relevant items 202, obligations or emissions for multiple
companies.

[0116]The platform 104 may include a market depository. The market
depository may be an environmental market depository. The market
depository may be for various environmentally relevant items 202. In an
embodiment, the market depository may be one depository for RECs, EECs,
CCs, carbon emission reduction credits and other environmentally relevant
items 202. The market depository may be deployed at a corporate level to
track environmentally relevant items 202, obligations or emissions for a
firm. The market depository may be deployed for a broker, marketer or
financial institution to track environmentally relevant items 202,
obligations or emissions for multiple clients. The market depository may
be deployed for a locality, sub-region, region, state, or national market
or exchange to track environmentally relevant items 202, obligations or
emissions for multiple companies. In embodiments, the market depository
may be a mechanism to link multiple localities, sub-regions, regions,
states, or national markets or exchanges to track and transact
environmentally relevant items 202. The market depository may be used as
a single point of information and integration and as a custodial service
by banks, brokers, marketers exchanges and other participants who may
operate and transact environmentally relevant items 202 across
jurisdictions and markets. The market depository may be used to track,
manage, and record intermediate transactions for environmentally relevant
items 202 across multiple registries. In an embodiment, the market
depository may be a unifying data and transaction infrastructure across
markets.

[0117]Referring to FIG. 22, an exemplary process 2200 is illustrated for
facilitating exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant
items 202. The process 2200 may begin at step 2202, where a type of
credit recognized by a first market may be identified. In embodiments,
the type of credit may be carbon emission reduction credits, emission
allowances and the like. In embodiments, the type of credit may be
associated with an environmentally relevant action. In embodiments, the
first market may include industrial markets, voluntary markets, mandatory
markets and the like. In a similar manner, a type of credit recognized by
a second market may be identified at step 2204. In embodiments, the type
of credit may be associated with an environmentally relevant action. In
embodiments, the second type of credit may be carbon emission reduction
credits, emission allowances, and the like. In embodiments, the second
market may include industrial markets, voluntary markets, mandatory
markets and the like.

[0118]Finally at step 2208, a unified depository for credits may be
provided. In embodiments, the credits may be associated with the above
first markets and the second markets. For example, the unified depository
for credits may be a market depository. In other embodiments, the market
depository may be an environmental market depository. In an example, the
market depository may be for various environmentally relevant items 202.
In an embodiment, the market depository may be one depository for RECs,
EECs, CCs, carbon emission reduction credits and other environmentally
relevant items 202.

[0119]The platform 104 may include a compliance facility. The compliance
facility may assess and/or enforce compliance with a particular law,
rule, regulation and/or regulatory regime. The compliance facility may
assess the extent to which a firm has achieved certain emissions,
renewable energy, energy efficiency or other obligations or goals, in
compliance with one or more laws, rules, regulations and policies. The
compliance facility may assess compliance with a strategy, set or rules
or policies, internal corporate controls or policies, a trading policy
and the like. In an embodiment, the compliance facility may monitor
whether employees or traders representing a company are trading in
accordance with the policies of the marketplace, jurisdiction or company.
In another embodiment, a compliance facility may ensure compliance by
participants in a regulated market and a voluntary market for
environmentally relevant items 202. The compliance facility may assess
and/or enforce local, state, sub-regional, regional, national and
international compliance. The compliance facility may generate compliance
reports for users of the platform, regulators and the like. Verification
and certification companies may assist or interact with the compliance
facility, and may use the compliance facility to enter and verify
information on behalf of third parties. Market and other regulators may
use the compliance facility to track and monitor activities of the
marketplace generally, specific aspects or specific participants in the
marketplace. The compliance facility may generate alerts or reports when
there is non-compliance. The compliance facility may assess and/or
enforce compliance in real-time, periodically, on command or at
set-intervals, such as on a schedule.

[0120]The platform 104 may include a trading engine. The trading engine
may facilitate buying and/or selling environmentally relevant items 202.
The trading engine may also facilitate the creation and/or retirement of
environmentally relevant items 202. The platform 104 may function similar
to a stock exchange, but for environmentally relevant items 202. The
trading engine may allow participants to advertise environmentally
relevant items 202 for sale or demand for environmentally relevant items
202, but have the platform 104 facilitate the transaction. The trading
engine may enable trading of environmentally relevant items 202 for other
environmentally relevant items 202 or financial instruments, including,
without limitation, securities and commodities. The trading engine may
enable buying and selling of environmentally relevant items 202 for
monetary instruments, such as cash, stocks and the like. In certain
embodiments, the platform 104 may include a buying network on top of a
local, state, sub-regional, regional, national or international market
system. In certain embodiments, the platform 104 may be a private buying
network for a corporation or financial institution and its clients,
facilitating transactions between the client of the corporation or
financial institution as well as external markets in environmentally
relevant items 202. In certain embodiments, the platform 104 may be
separate from the actual exchange and may merely enable the creation,
tracking, retirement, transfers between accounts, and ownership tracking
functionality, but another entity is responsible for trading, clearing
and settling transactions. In certain embodiments, the platform 104 may
allow for management of the timing of trades and/or transactions.

[0121]The platform 104 may include a credit and clearing engine. The
credit and clearing engine may allow for the clearing of transactions.
The credit and clearing engine may facilitate the process of settling a
trade or transaction. The credit and clearing engine may facilitate the
activities from the time a transaction is made until it is settled. The
credit and clearing engine may facilitate the verification of information
between the two parties to a transaction and the subsequent settlement.
The platform 104 may allow for market clearing as opposed to only
bilateral transactions. The platform 104 may allow a third party to be
the clearing agent.

[0122]The platform 104 may include a timing manager. The timing manager
may allow the entry of an environmentally relevant item 202 into the
market to be timed or scheduled. The timing manager may allow the entry
of an environmentally relevant item 202 to be de-coupled from the actual
time of generation, which may increase efficiency since it may avoid the
need to shut down a plant and the like. The timing manager may allow
timing with respect to on-peak and/or off-peak periods. The timing
manager may allow retirement of an environmentally relevant item 202 to
be timed. The timing manager may assist with the timing of trades and
clearing.

[0123]As depicted in FIG. 23a, the platform 104, possibly involving a
trading engine 2304, credit and clearing engine 2310 and timing manager
2308, may enable forward transactions and/or standing orders. The
platform 104 may execute instructions regarding the pricing and volumes
at which to buy environmentally relevant items 202 over set periods, at
regular intervals, at define dates and the like. The platform 104 may
also enable standing sales. The platform 104 may execute instructions
regarding pricing and volumes at which to sell environmentally relevant
items 202 over set periods, at regular intervals, at define dates, and
the like. Examples of environmentally relevant items 202 may include a
carbon credit 222, an electricity reduction credit 2302, a carbon
emissions allowance 2312, a renewable energy credit 2316, and the like.
The platform 104 may also enable standing sales. The platform 104,
possibly involving the trading engine, credit and clearing engine and
timing manager, may enable forward transactions. A forward transaction
may be an arrangement to buy or sell an environmentally relevant item 202
at some specific time in the future. The platform 104 may provide a
process and/or methodology to settle and reconcile forward transactions
for environmentally relevant items 202. In an aspect of the present
invention the forward transaction may be understood by an example such
that the trading engine 2304 may specify a condition that if the volume
for trading carbon credits 222 in a three hour period exceeds 10,000
units, the platform 104 may purchase 100 units of carbon credits. The
trading engine 2304 may use the timing manager 2308 for specifying the
three hour period. In another example, the forward transaction may be
such that the trading engine 2304 specifies a condition that an
electricity reduction credit 918 may be sold if the price per unit
exceeds a set dollar threshold during peak energy usage hours in
California.

[0124]FIG. 23b depicts a process for the sale/purchase of environmentally
relevant items 202 in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. In an embodiment, the platform 104 may provide the process
and/or methodology to settle and reconcile forward transactions for
environmentally relevant items 202. At step 2312, conditions for
purchase/sale of environmentally relevant items 202 may be established.
The conditions may be established by the platform 104. The trading engine
2304 may establish the conditions in conjunction with the timing manager
2308 and the credit and clearing engine 2310. In an example, the
condition may be that if the price per unit of the electricity reduction
credit 2302 exceeds a set dollar threshold during non-peak energy usage
hours in California, the electricity reduction credit 2302 may be
sold/purchased. At step 2314, it may be checked whether the conditions
established at step 2312 are satisfied. In an embodiment, at step 2318,
an environmentally item for which a condition has been satisfied in step
2314 is sold/purchased. In case, the condition is not satisfied at step
2314, the step 2314 may proceed to step 2312. In an example, the
electricity reduction credit 2302 may be sold by the platform 104, if the
electricity reduction credit 2302 exceeds the set dollar threshold during
non-peak energy usage established at step 2312. In an embodiment, the
trading engine 2304 in the platform 104 may sell the electricity
reduction credit 2302.

[0125]In embodiments, a method 2400 for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided. In an
example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in the form of carbon
credits, emission allowances and the like. Referring to FIG. 24, at step
2402, a type of credit recognized by a market associated with an
environmentally relevant action may be identified. The type of credit may
be a REC, TRC, EEC, a carbon reduction credit, a pollution reduction
credit, a carbon offset such as a VER or CER or ERU or VCU, an emissions
allowance, an energy conservation credit, a carbon avoidance
credit/certificate, a residential emission reduction credit, a tradable
residential emission reduction credit, a residential renewable energy
certificate, a tradable residential renewable energy certificate, a
carbon credit or offset or emission allocation, a renewable obligation
certificate, a water credit, water permit, mercury allowance or permit,
or a credit relating to other markets, and the like. Following this, at
step 2404, a user may be allowed to place an order associated with an
action related to the type of credit. In embodiments, the user can place
the order using a user interface or a dashboard 200. Further, the action
may be buying, selling, exchanging, and the like.

[0126]The platform 104 may include a verification engine. The verification
engine may verify information concerning environmentally relevant items
202. The verification engine may verify attributes of environmentally
relevant items 202, including information regarding their origin,
location, dates, attributes, quantities, amounts, jurisdictional
qualifications and the like. The verification engine may verify
information concerning users of the platform 104 and market participants.
The verification engine may verify information concerning plants or sites
that are the origin of the environmentally relevant items 202. The
verification engine may verify information concerning transactions
involving environmentally relevant items 202, such as information
relating to trades or retirement of environmentally relevant items 202.
The verification engine may enable auditing, such as through the data
archive and audit trail. The verification engine may allow for document
management. The verification engine may allow for attestations and may
store, generate or provide evidence concerning information that was
verified. A certified third party may enter information or may verify
information. In an embodiment, a certified third party may be provided
with an electronic interface in order to report a generator's output as
verified by the certified third party. The verification engine may use
data directly sourced from meters. The verification engine may use data
from file transfers from a trusted source. The verification engine may
track and/or utilize metadata surrounding verification, such as who
performed the verification, how verification was performed, which
protocol was used for verification and the like. The verification engine
may make documentation, photographs and attestation available in a web
environment. The verification engine may be used to create branding. In
an embodiment, the verification engine may enable tagging or branding of
items, services and/or environmentally relevant items 202 as verified as
green.

[0127]FIG. 25 depicts a rating engine 2502 for rating of environmentally
relevant items 202 in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. The platform 104 may include a rating engine 2502. The rating
engine 2502 may include assessment 2504 or quality 2508, suitability
2510, additionality 2512, double counting 2514, age 2518, jurisdiction
parameters 272, attributes 208, others 2524, and the like. The rating
engine 2502 may assess the environmentally relevant items 202. In
embodiments, the rating engine 2502 may assess the quality 2508 of
environmentally relevant items 202. In embodiments, the rating engine
2502 may assess the suitability 2510 of environment relevant items 202.
The rating engine 2502 may assess the suitability 2510 of the
environmentally relevant items 202 for achieving a compliance objective,
a voluntary objective, and some other type of objective. In embodiments,
the rating engine 2502 may take into account factors such as the
likelihood that the environmentally relevant items 202 have been
greenwashed 2512 and/or double-counted 2514, age 2518 of the
environmentally relevant item 202, jurisdictions 272 of generation of the
environmentally relevant item 202, quality 2508 and attributes 208 of the
environmentally relevant items 202, and the like. In embodiments, the
rating engine 2502 may take into account other characteristics of the
environmentally relevant items 202 by others 2524, as depicted in FIG.
25. Furthermore, the rating engine 2502 may rate and/or assess a
portfolio of environmentally relevant items 2520. The ratings 2522 of the
rating engine 2502 may function as a measurement system for the quality
of RECs, EECs, CCs or other environmentally relevant items 202. In an
embodiment, the measurement system may be a star-based or alphanumeric
rating system. The measurement system may involve a continuum of quality
for environmentally relevant items 202.

[0128]In embodiments, a method 2600 for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided.
Referring to FIG. 26, at step 2602, a type of credit recognized by a
market associated with an environmentally relevant action may be
identified. Following this, at step 2604, a user interface may be
provided to a user. The user may be able to access a rating relating to
the quality of a particular environmentally relevant action that may
qualify for the credit. In embodiments, the rating may be provided by a
rating engine.

[0129]The platform 104 may include a performance assessment facility. The
performance assessment facility may assess performance against a
baseline. The performance assessment facility may determine the
applicable baseline of emissions. The reduction of emissions relative to
the baseline may initiate the creation or serialization of an
environmentally relevant item 202. The performance assessment facility
may track and report changes over time. The performance assessment
facility may assess performance against a specified plan, set of
requirements, policy and the like.

[0130]The platform 104 may include a market data facility. The market data
facility may enable reporting and analysis. The market data facility may
be used for data business applications. The market data facility may
aggregate data relating to transactions performed in connection with the
platform. The market data facility may provide data services to third
parties. The market data facility may aggregate certain data for sale to
third parties. In an embodiment, the market data facility may create an
index. The third party may be a market participant, a researcher, a
university, a government, policy maker or the like. The market data
facility may allow for data to be licensed or sold to third parties. The
market data facility may provide data relating certain environmentally
relevant items 202 to certain related financial instruments, including,
without limitation, securities and commodities, measures and the like.
The market data facility may provide data relating certain
environmentally relevant items 202 to any item to which the data has a
relationship. In an embodiment, the relationship may be an elasticity. In
an embodiment, the market data facility may relate the price of a given
environmentally relevant item 202 to the price of oil. The market data
facility may provide data or information though a user interface, via an
RSS feed, on a subscription basis, as part of a dashboard 200, as a
ticker or the like.

[0131]The platform 104 may include a billing engine. The billing engine
may allow the platform 104 to generate invoices. The billing engine may
be associated with tracking flows of money, such as wire transfers,
checks and letters of credit, through the platform. The billing engine
may track when transactions have been settled. The billing engine may
track and charge for use of the platform. Fees may be assessed per
transaction or per transfer. There may be a fee for creation of an
environmentally relevant item 202. There may be a fee for retirement of
an environmentally relevant item 202, such as to fulfill a regulatory
requirement. Fees may be shared with brokers. There may be fees for
account management, initiation, set-up, and maintenance. There may be
fees for trading, brokerage, marketing and the like. There may be fees
for verification and certification services. There may be fees for
consulting and advisory services. There may be fees for market data
services.

[0132]The platform 104 may include a retirement facility. The retirement
facility may be an environmentally relevant item 202 retirement facility.
The retirement facility may enable retirement of an environmentally
relevant item 202 to meet regulatory requirements for a jurisdiction for
a certain time period. The retirement facility may administer caps on and
retirement of environmentally relevant items 202. The retirement facility
may enable retirement of a certain amount of environmentally relevant
items 202 overall. The retirement facility may enable retirement of
environmentally relevant items 202 for voluntary and/or mandatory
markets. The retirement facility may enable retirement of a certain
percentage or number of environmentally relevant items 202 per trade. The
retirement facility may enable retirement of environmentally relevant
items 202 for a tax credit. The retirement facility may facilitate
transfer of environmentally relevant items 202 to a non-profit
organization. The retirement facility may enable retirement of
environmentally relevant items 202 for utility companies to report
compliance with their claims for voluntary green pricing programs. The
retirement facility may enable retirement of environmentally relevant
items 202 on behalf of one or more companies, individuals or other
participants. The retirement facility may enable a broker or marketer of
environmentally relevant items 202 to use sub-accounts to manage the
retirement of environmentally relevant items 202 for multiple companies
who are their clients and on whose behalf they manage and retire credits.

[0133]Referring to FIG. 27, a process 2700 for facilitating exchange of
rights associated with environmentally relevant securities may be
disclosed. In an example, environmentally relevant securities may be in
the form of carbon credits, emission allowance, and the like. The process
2700 may begin at step 2702, where a module for managing credits
associated with environmentally relevant actions for a plurality of
jurisdictions may be provided. Following the above step 2702, at step
2704, a retirement facility, possibly associated with the jurisdictional
complexity manager 122 may be provided for retiring the credit upon use.

[0134]The platform 104 may include an auction facility. The auction
facility may allow for auctioning of environmentally relevant items 202.
The auction facility may allow a jurisdiction to sell environmentally
relevant items 202 to market participants in a jurisdiction. The auction
facility may implement a set of auction rules with a prescribed workflow.
In an embodiment, the auction facility may enable regulators to
periodically sell greenhouse gas emissions allowances to buyers in a
locality, sub-region, region, state or national market. In an embodiment,
the auction facility may enable the processing of payments, checks,
letters of credit, credit management and clearing. The auction facility
may enable the offering of environmentally relevant items 202 for sale or
exchange. The auction facility may enable the submission of bids. The
auction facility may enable the reporting of awards to winning bidders,
and may enable public reporting of auction results. The auction facility
may automatically transfer emissions allowances or other environmentally
relevant items 202 into a registry or market depository accounts of
winning bidders or others. The auction facility may enable reverse
auctions. In an embodiment, a participant may post a request for a
certain environmentally relevant item 202 and other participants may
submit bids to satisfy the request. In an embodiment, the auction
facility may enable the auctioning of the initial allocation of the
environmentally relevant items 202; for example, an auction by the
government or regulatory agency granting or creating the credits.

[0135]FIG. 28 depicts an allocation process 2800 performed by an
allocation engine 2810. The allocation process may be performed on behalf
of a government agency or agent. In embodiments, the platform 104 may
include an allocation engine 2810. The allocation engine may allocate one
or more environmentally relevant items 202. As shown in the FIG. 28, the
environmentally relevant items may be environmentally relevant items 202,
such as `A` 2802, `B` 2802, and the like for multiple participants 110.
In addition to allocating environmentally relevant items 202, the
allocation engine 2810 may allocate free allowances 2804 and free
environmentally relevant items 2808 to various sectors, such as sector
`A` 2824 and sector `B` 2828, low income groups 2830 and other similar
groups or sectors 2832, as shown in the figure. In an example,
participants 110 may be grouped into Sector `A` 2824, Sector `B` 2828,
low income groups 2830 and other groups or sectors 2832. The sectors may
be sectors of the economy. In an example, sector `A` may be an
agricultural sector, whereas sector `B` may be a manufacturing sector
that may be using environmentally relevant items 102. Further, each
sector may include multiple participants 110 that are grouped based on a
specific criteria as shown in the FIG. 28. For example, participants 110
in each of the sectors may be grouped based on usage of environmentally
relevant items 202, type of environmentally relevant items 202, and the
like.

[0136]In an aspect of the present invention, the allocation engine 2810
may consider the various parameters relevant to sector `A` 2824, sector
`B` 2828, low income groups 2830, other sectors or groups 2832 before
allocation environmentally relevant items 202, free allowances 2804 and
free environmentally relevant items 202. In an example, the allocation
engine 2810 may consider existing allocation 2812, public policy 2814,
government 2818, and time 2820 factors before making an allocation and/or
while making an allocation. The allocation engine 2810 may function to
allocate one or more environmentally relevant items 202 among one or more
participants 110 or other parties. In an embodiment, the allocation
engine 2810 may be involved with the initial allocation of
environmentally relevant items 202, such as by the government or
regulatory agency granting or creating the credits. In an example, the
allocation engine 2810 may determine an optimal allocation for the
government to allocate a portion of the credits to lower income people
(who may then sell the credits) to achieve a public policy goal. In
another embodiment, the allocation engine 2810 may enable the management
of the distribution of emissions allowances across multiple sectors of
the economy, where each sector (power, manufacturing, agriculture,
transportation and the like) may receive a different proportion of the
overall number of emissions allowances. The allocation engine 2810 may
also enable the management of the distribution of free allowances 2804
(such as those granted by the government at no cost) and the number or
volume of auctioned or sold allowances during a particular time period.

[0137]Referring to FIG. 29, an exemplary process 2900 is illustrated for
facilitating exchange of rights associated with environmentally relevant
items 202. The process 2900 may begin at step 2902, where a type of
credit recognized by a first market may be identified. In embodiments,
the type of credit may be carbon emission reduction credits, carbon
credits and the like. In embodiments, the type of credit may be
associated with an environmentally relevant action. In embodiments, the
first market may include economic sectors, industrial markets, voluntary
markets, mandatory markets, and the like. In embodiments, the
environmentally relevant action may be the selling of environmentally
relevant items 202. At step 2904, a type of credit recognized by a second
market may be identified. In embodiments, the type of credit may be
associated with an environmentally relevant action. In embodiments, the
second type of credit may be carbon emission reduction credits, carbon
credits, and the like. In embodiments, the environmentally relevant
action may be selling of environmentally relevant items 202. In
embodiments, the second market may include economic sectors, industrial
markets, voluntary markets, mandatory markets, cross-environmentally
relevant item markets, cross-jurisdiction markets, and the like. Finally
at step 2908, the allocation engine 2810 for allowing users to allocate
credits with respect to the two markets may be provided. In embodiments,
the allocation engine 2810 may be provided in the common platform 104.

[0138]In embodiments, a process 3000 for facilitating exchange of rights
associated with environmentally relevant items 202 may be provided. In an
example, environmentally relevant items 202 may be in form of carbon
credits, emission allowance, and the like. Referring to FIG. 30, at step
3002, a type of credit recognized by a first market associated with an
environmentally relevant action may be identified. The first market may
be a renewable energy credit market industrial market, voluntary market,
regulatory market, and the like. For example, a carbon credit, recognized
by a renewable energy credit market industrial market and associated with
an environmental security, say emission allowance, may be identified. The
environmentally relevant action may also be buying, selling, exchanging,
and the like. For example, the carbon credit may be associated with
buying of carbon credits in the market. Following this, at step 3004,
another type of credit recognized by a second market associated with an
environmentally relevant action may be identified. The second market may
be industrial market, voluntary market, regulatory market and the like.
For example, a residential emission reduction credit, recognized by a
voluntary market and associated with an environmental security, may be
identified. In embodiments, the environmental security may be approved by
a jurisdiction such as a pollution control department of a country or
some other type of jurisdiction. In embodiments, the second type of
credit may be associated with a different type of environmentally
relevant action. Similarly, at step 3008, yet another type of credit
recognized by a third market associated with an environmentally relevant
action may be identified. The third market may be industrial market,
voluntary market, regulatory market, and the like. Further, at step 3010,
yet another type of credit recognized by a fourth market associated with
an environmentally relevant action may be identified. The process 3000
may further proceed to step 3012, where users may be allowed to allocate
credits with respect to the four markets under a common platform 104 by
providing the allocation engine 2810.

[0139]Referring to FIG. 31, the platform 104 may include a search engine
3102. The search engine 3102 may enable searching, filtering and/or
clustering of environmentally relevant items 202 and attributes 208,
jurisdictions 272, characteristics 204, amounts 3114, prices, and the
like of environmentally relevant items 202. The search engine 3102 may
enable search against an environmental market depository for attributes
208 associated with environmentally relevant items 202. The search engine
3102 may enable attribute-based search of environmentally relevant item
markets 112, including both regulatory and voluntary markets 112. The
search engine 3102 may allow for creation of various views of
environmentally relevant items 202 and/or result set 3104. These views
may include an asset based view 3124, obligation based view 3122, credit
based view 3120, jurisdiction based view 3118, and some other type of
view 3130. The search engine 3102 may filter the results based on certain
attributes 208 or characteristics 204. In one particular embodiment, a
search engine 3102 may be used to generate an inventory of what is
available and pricing data for a particular environmentally relevant item
202 or group of environmentally relevant items 202. The search engine
3102 may be used to generate an inventory of what is available and
pricing data for a particular environmentally relevant item 202 or group
of environmentally relevant items 202. The search engine 3102 may be
associated with a result set 3104. The result set 3104 may be obtained by
running a query on the search engine 3102. The query may be related to
market depository 3108 which may include a market such as voluntary
market 3110 and a mandatory market 3112, and/or at least one other type
of market, as shown in FIG. 31. In addition, the market depositories 3108
may include environmentally relevant items 202. The search engine 3102
may consider different parameters during the execution of query. For
example, the different parameters may include attributes 208,
jurisdictions 272, characteristics 204, amounts 3114, prices, and other
types of parameters 214. In embodiments, the search engine 3102 may
perform tasks such as search 3132, filter 3134, cluster 3138, and other
types of actions 3128.

[0140]A protocol may define certain environmentally relevant items 202. A
protocol may enable and/or facilitate the exchange of information
concerning environmentally relevant items 202. A protocol may enable
and/or facilitate the exchange of different environmentally relevant
items 202 across different markets. In an embodiment, the markets may be
for different environmentally relevant items 202. In an embodiment, the
markets may be for different jurisdictions. A protocol may facilitate
trading and transfer of environmentally relevant items 202. A protocol
may facilitate creation and retirement of environmentally relevant items
202. A protocol may function in a manner similar to FIPS and SWIFT for
financial markets. A protocol may allow a single object that is an
environmentally relevant item 202, such as a REC. A protocol may be
implemented or embodied in XML. A protocol may implement standard
contract terms for each environmentally relevant item 202. In an
embodiment a protocol may implement standard contract terms as applicable
to RECs.

[0141]The platform 104 may include a content provision facility. The
content provision facility may provide content to users. The content may
be advertisements, news, bulletins, information concerning changes in
environmental laws and regulations, information concerning pollution
abatement and reduction technologies and the like. The content provision
facility may target content based on the characteristics of a user. A
relevant characteristic of a user may be the type of user, such as a
generator, trader, polluter, and the like. Another relevant
characteristic may be the trading behavior of the user and/or the
portfolio of environmentally relevant items 202 held by the user.

[0142]The platform 104 may include an environmentally relevant item 202
serialization facility. The platform 104 may create new environmentally
relevant items 202 based on input information, and may assign a unique
identifier, such as an alphanumeric identifier or a serial number, to
each environmentally relevant item 202 through a serialization facility.
The serialization facility may ensure that double counting is avoided.
The serialization facility may enable the unique environmentally relevant
item 202 to be tracked from its origin to retirement, and maintain its
unique transaction history and data in the system data record.

[0144]The platform 104 may be relevant to industrial markets, such as
electricity production, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, cement,
transportation and the like. The platform 104 may be relevant to
voluntary markets. In a voluntary market an environmentally relevant item
202, such as one relating to renewable energy, may be bought for public
relations purposes. The platform 104 may enable or be a national system
for voluntary environmental markets. In an embodiment, a participant may
purchase green tags (RECs) using the platform 104 in order to claim that
its energy use is carbon neutral and does not contribute to global
warming. The platform 104 may also enable environmentally relevant items
202 to have geographic component. Voluntary market participants may want
to have an environmental impact in certain regions, such as plant
locations or regions with customers. The platform 104 may be relevant to
mandatory markets. In a mandatory market regulations may require buying
environmentally relevant items 202 or otherwise reducing emissions or the
like. The platform 104 may integrate or link voluntary and mandatory
markets. The platform 104 may enable interplay between voluntary and
mandatory markets. In an embodiment, consumption in the voluntary market
may increase the costs in the mandatory market as reflected in the
platform. In an embodiment, production in voluntary market may decrease
costs in mandatory market as reflected in the platform. As discussed
herein, the platform 104 may enable cross-commodity environmental markets
and cross-jurisdiction environmental markets (local, state, sub-regional,
regional, national and international). The platform 104 may be a unified
environmentally relevant item 202 market or market depository or
registry.

[0145]The platform 104 may enable the creation of a national registry or
market depository 3108 of environmentally relevant items 202. The
platform 104 may link up the various local, state, sub-regional and
regional markets into one national platform. The platform 104 may be used
to reduce double counting and green-washing. The national registry or
market depository 3108 may take into account mandatory and voluntary
markets. The national registry or market depository 3108 may be hosted.
The platform 104 may enable the creation of an international registry or
market depository 3108 of environmentally relevant items 202. The
platform 104 may link up the various local, state, sub-regional,
regional, national and international registries, platforms and/or markets
into one or more international registries, platforms and/or markets 112.
In certain embodiments, the international registry or market depository
3108 may take into account mandatory and voluntary markets 112. In
certain embodiments, the international registry or market depository 3108
may be hosted. The platform 104 may also enable optimization of a
portfolio of environmentally relevant items 202. The platform 104 may
enable management of pollution, emissions and the like, such as for
government, regulators, corporations or the like.

[0146]FIG. 32 depicts a user interface for the platform 104 or 3108, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The user
interface of the environmental market platform 104 or 3202 may provide
information related to various environmentally relevant items. In an
embodiment, the environmental market platform 3202 may be a depository or
registry for RECs, EECs, CCs, carbon emission reduction credits and other
environmentally relevant items. The user interface of the environmental
market platform 3202 may be deployed at a corporate level to track
environmentally relevant items, obligations or emissions for a firm. The
user interface of the environmental market platform 3202 may be deployed
for a broker, a marketer or a financial institution to track
environmentally relevant items, obligations or emissions for multiple
clients. The user interface of the environmental market platform 3202 may
be used as a mechanism to link multiple localities, sub-regions, regions,
states, or national markets or exchanges to track and transact
environmentally relevant items. The user interface of the environmental
market platform 3202 may be used as a single point of information and
integration and as a custodial service by banks, brokers, marketers, and
exchanges who may operate and transact environmentally relevant items
across jurisdictions and markets. The user interface of the environmental
market platform 3202 may be used to track, manage, and record
intermediate transactions for environmentally relevant items across
multiple registries.

[0147]Referring to FIG. 32, the user interface of the platform 104 or 3202
may show a depository and/or registry and may include multiple buttons or
tabs (referred to as features), such as portfolio 3204, transfer 3208,
transaction 3210, messages 3212, facilities 3214, reports 3218, account
management 3220, and the like. Clicking on a feature may cause a
different view or page of the user interface to be presented. The user
interface in FIG. 32 shows the portfolio 3204 feature. Each user may have
one more portfolios. The portfolio 3204 feature may display a portfolio
summary 3222. The portfolio summary 3222 may be viewed by using drop-down
menus or other menus, such as view by 3224 and month 3228. In an
embodiment, the portfolio summary 3222 may be viewed by selecting the
drop-down menus view by 3224 and month 3228. In addition, the selection
of the month drop-down menu 3224 may be based on the selection of the
view by drop-down menu 3224. For example, a user associated with the
platform 104 may access his/her portfolio summary 3222 filtered on the
basis of market for month of April. Further, those skilled in the art
would appreciate that the summary may be displayed on the web page based
on any other parameters as known in the art.

[0148]The environmental market platform 3202 may include a message and
alerts section 3234, a transfers section 3228, a report shortcuts section
3240, and the like. The message and alerts section 3234 may provide
updated information to the user based on his preferences relating to
environmentally relevant items. In an example, the message and alerts
section 3234 may provide information related to recent change in an
emission allowance and the like. The messages and alerts section 3234 may
include a send message feature 3244 for sending messages. Messages and
alerts may also relate to notification of transfers of certificates into
an account; notification of transfers of certificates out of an account;
status of a transaction, such as the acceptance of a bid, or financial
clearing of a transaction; status of the verification of certificates; an
event reminder regarding the opening of a trading period, closing of a
trading period, or due date for a compliance obligation and the like; and
the like.

[0149]In addition, the user may be interested in selling, buying or
exchanging environmentally items with other users. The transfers section
3228 may provide the user with the facility for exchanging, transferring
and/or trading environmentally relevant items. Furthermore, a report
shortcut 3240 may be provide in the user interface that may allow a user
to view different reports corresponding to tracking and management of
environmentally relevant items. In an example, the report shortcut 3240
may provide monthly net change of environmentally relevant items. In yet
another example, the report shortcut 3240 may provide annual emission
tracking of environmentally relevant items. Further, it may be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that the portfolio summary 3222,
messages and alerts 3234, transfers 3238, report shortcuts 3240 may be
customized for display in any other alternate ways as known in the art
without deviation from the scope of the invention.

[0150]Referring to FIG. 32, portfolio summary 3222 may display the
statistics and graphs for various environmentally relevant items. In an
example, the portfolio summary 3222 may include various statistics
relating to carbon balance 3230. The statistics may include market,
balance, credit/debit, current balance and valuation in USD in tabular
form as shown in FIG. 32. Further, in this example, a graph may be
provided between markets and carbon balance. Similarly, in this example,
the portfolio may further include clean energy certificates 3232
statistics and a corresponding graph between markets and clean energy.
Further, those skilled in the art would appreciate that statistics and
graph may be displayed in any other alternate way as known in the art. In
embodiments, the user interface for an environmental market platform 3202
may include a customize feature 3242 for customization of the interface.
In an example, the web page may be customized to include one or more
elements and/or features in order to customize the user interface of
environmental market platform 3202. In an embodiment the interface may be
branded.

[0151]Referring to FIG. 33, in an alternate embodiment, the portfolio
summary 3222 may be viewed by selecting vintage in the "view by"
drop-down menu 3302. Further, a month April may be selected in the
drop-down menu month 3228. As shown in FIG. 33, the statistics
corresponding to carbon balance 3230 may be displayed in the web page in
the user interface. The carbon balance 3230 may include vintage, balance,
credit/debit, current balance valuation, and the like. Additionally,
graphs corresponding to the selection vintage and the carbon balance 3230
may be displayed as shown in FIG. 32. Similarly, statistics relating to
renewable energy or clean energy 3232 may be displayed in the web page.
In addition, graphs for the selection vintage 3302 and clean energy 3224
may be displayed. In an example, the graph showing clean energy 3232 and
vintage may be a bar graph, a pie chart, a histogram and the like.

[0152]Referring to FIG. 34, a transaction feature 3210 may be selected in
environmental market platform 3202 in the user interface. The transaction
feature 3204 may further provide additional features such as a carbon
feature 3402 and a clean energy certificates feature 3404 as shown in the
FIG. 34. In an example, the carbon feature 3402 may be selected. In
addition, a filter 3408 may be provided in the web page that may allow
customization of transaction history 3410 based on the filtering
criteria. In an example, the default parameters for the transaction
history 3410 may include a date 3412, description 3414, vintage 3302,
credits 3420, debits 3422, start certificate number, 3424, end
certificate number 3428, market 3430, project 3432, action 3438,
initiated by 3438 and the like as shown in the FIG. 34. Further, the
table showing transaction history 3410 may be customized in any other way
as known in the art. In an example, the transaction history 3410 table
may be shown in a tabular form, a form showing only one transaction and
the like.

[0153]Referring to FIG. 35, the transaction feature 3210 may be selected
in an environmental market platform 3202 in the user interface. The
transaction feature 3210 may further include additional features, such as
features for carbon 3402 and clean energy certificates 3232 respectively
as described in the FIG. 34. Further, those skilled in the art may note
that the transaction feature 3210 may include other features not shown in
FIG. 35 or may be customized an alternate way. The web page may also
include filtering of data based on different parameters. In an
embodiment, the filtering of data may be based on show 3502, vintage
3302, project 3508 start date 3510, start certificate number 3512, action
3514, to date 3516, end certificate number 3520, counter-party 3522, unit
3524, market 3528, initiator 3520 and the like. In an example, as shown
in a web page, a drop down box may be provided to show 3502 and to allow
selection of data for performing filtration of transaction history 3410
to be displayed in the web page. Further, a feature may be provided for
filtering data corresponding to the inputs made in the text box against
each parameter. In an example, the parameter may be projects, action and
the like and may be executed by a "Go" feature 3532. In this embodiment,
the last portion of the web page of the transaction feature may show the
"Transaction History" associated with the filtered data selected. The
transaction history may show the results corresponding to the filtered
data after execution of the query based on the selected parameters in the
filtered text boxes. Further, those skilled in the art may appreciate
that the web page corresponding to the transaction feature may be
customized alternate ways as known in the art.

[0154]Referring to FIG. 36, a transfer feature 3602 may be selected in the
user interface of the environmental market platform 3202. In an
embodiment, the transfer feature 3602 may provide two options, "Make a
Transfer" 3602 and "Review Pending Transfers" 3604. As shown in FIG. 36,
the Make a Transfer feature 3602 may be selected. In an embodiment, the
make a transfer feature 3602 may include questions and corresponding
selection buttons. In an example, the make a transfer feature 3602 may
show a question "what you want to transfer" 3608 and may provide a set of
radio buttons corresponding to clean energy certificates 3610 and carbon
(tCO2) 3614. Further, in this example a drop down menu labeled as
"facility" 3612 may be provided for conducting search availability
related to the selection made in the drop down menu. Similarly, make a
transfer feature 3602 may provide other question including "What you
would like to transfer it to?", "How much would you like to transfer?",
"When would you like to complete the transfer?" and the like as shown in
the FIG. 36. Further, the web page may be customized to include other
questions and/or corresponding radio buttons, combo boxes, text boxes,
labels option buttons and the like for providing answer to these
questions. In this example, a message textbox may be provided for
inputting any message for submission to the platform. Additionally, a
"Submit Transfer" 3618 feature and a "clear" 3620 feature may be
provided. The "Submit Transfer" that allows the selection made in the web
page to be submitted to the platform from the user interface. In
addition, by pressing the "clear feature" the user can clear all the
selections chosen by him/her on the web page.

[0155]The user interface may also contain various screens relating to
facilities. The facilities screens may present a site-level summary of
assets (such as credits or certificates) and liabilities (such as state,
regional or federal obligations). The facilities screens may be similar
in appearance to the portfolio-related views, except filtered for those
aspects pertaining to a site or facility. The user interface may also
contain various screens relating to reports. Reports may include the
number and types of certificates created, transferred, purchased, sold,
or retired, the value of a position, such as mark to market for quarterly
reporting purposes, the number of certificates short or long, relative to
compliance obligations and the like. The user interface may also contain
various screens related to account management.

[0156]The platform 104 may be architected in many different ways. The
platform 104 may be deployed in a web-based architecture. In one
embodiment, the deployment may be browser-based with no downloadable
software required. In another embodiment, the deployment may use
client-side software. In another embodiment, the platform 104 may
comprise a web-based carbon registry for carbon commodities, including
credits/offsets, allowances, and emissions tracking. The platform 104 may
be deployed in a services oriented architecture. The platform 104 may be
deployed on a network. The platform 104 may be hosted. The platform 104
may include a user interface. The user interface may include a dashboard
200 as described herein. The platform 104 may include or be deployed
using an application server. The platform 104 may include or be deployed
using data processing functionality. The platform 104 may include or
utilize compression technology. The platform 104 may include or utilize
data compression methods in relation to environmentally relevant items
202, renewable energy certificates, energy efficiency certificates,
carbon commodities or other environmental commodities, securities or
financial instruments. The data storage and compression methods enable
the efficient storage and management of greater than hundreds of millions
of certificates and related transactions over years. The platform 104 may
include 24×7 operations support and monitoring. The platform 104
may include a data archive and audit trail. The platform 104 may include
functionality for security, conditional access, role based access, and
logging. The platform 104 may include functionality for encryption and
authentication. The platform 104 may grant different levels of access to
different classes of user. In an embodiment, a program administrator may
have full access to the platform 104 with full view of accounts and may
be permitted to open and/or close trading periods. In contrast, a trader
may only have access to her portfolio and data regarding certain classes
of environmentally relevant items 202.

[0157]The data utilized and generated by the platform 104 may be
calculated, measured, historical, real-time and the like. The data
utilized and generated by may also include data regarding transactions
completed using the platform. The data utilized by the platform 104 may
come from various sources. These sources may include meters (such as
meters located at a generator which provide production information), file
transfers, manual entry (including manual entry by independent third
parties), the platform 104 itself, existing databases, local, state,
sub-regional, regional, national and international sources, other
platforms and the like.

[0158]The elements depicted in flow charts and block diagrams throughout
the figures imply logical boundaries between the elements. However,
according to software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted
elements and the functions thereof may be implemented as parts of a
monolithic software structure, as standalone software modules, or as
modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or
any combination of these, and all such implementations are within the
scope of the present disclosure. Thus, while the foregoing drawings and
description set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, no
particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional
aspects should be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly
stated or otherwise clear from the context.

[0159]Similarly, it will be appreciated that the various steps identified
and described above may be varied, and that the order of steps may be
adapted to particular applications of the techniques disclosed herein.
All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the
scope of this disclosure. As such, the depiction and/or description of an
order for various steps should not be understood to require a particular
order of execution for those steps, unless required by a particular
application, or explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context.

[0160]The methods or processes described above, and steps thereof, may be
realized in hardware, software, or any combination of these suitable for
a particular application. The hardware may include a general-purpose
computer and/or dedicated computing device. The processes may be realized
in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded
microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other
programmable device, along with internal and/or external memory. The
processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an application specific
integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic,
or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured to
process electronic signals. It will further be appreciated that one or
more of the processes may be realized as computer executable code created
using a structured programming language such as C, an object oriented
programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or low-level
programming language (including assembly languages, hardware description
languages, and database programming languages and technologies) that may
be stored, compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as
well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor
architectures, or combinations of different hardware and software.

[0161]Thus, in one aspect, each method described above and combinations
thereof may be embodied in computer executable code that, when executing
on one or more computing devices, performs the steps thereof. In another
aspect, the methods may be embodied in systems that perform the steps
thereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, or
all of the functionality may be integrated into a dedicated, standalone
device or other hardware. In another aspect, means for performing the
steps associated with the processes described above may include any of
the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutations and
combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present
disclosure.

[0162]While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the
preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various
modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent to
those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the
present invention is not to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is
to be understood in the broadest sense allowable by law.